PHOENIX – Attorney General Kris Mayes today announced the successful extradition of Joseph P. Stanton from Spain. Stanton, who was indicted in 2022, is accused of orchestrating a fraudulent scheme to obtain Social Security Disability Insurance (SSD) benefits using forged medical records.
“I am grateful for the efforts of the prosecutors and agents at my office and the U.S. Marshals in bringing the defendant back to Arizona to face justice,” said Attorney General Mayes. “All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, but fleeing the country does not mean escaping accountability—and we will continue to work with our partners to ensure justice is served.”
Stanton allegedly claimed he was suffering from Stage III pancreatic and liver cancers in an effort to collect SSD benefits. His application was denied, but he later appealed using forged medical documents, prompting an investigation by the Arizona Department of Economic Security’s Disability Determination Services (DES/DDS). The investigation confirmed the fraudulent nature of Stanton’s claims, including his own admission to law enforcement in December 2020.
Stanton faces multiple felony charges, including one count of Fraudulent Schemes and Artifices (a Class 2 felony) and three counts of Forgery (Class 4 felonies).
He has been returned to Arizona, where he will face prosecution.
A copy of the indictment is available here.
