Woman accused of cashing checks belonging to dead man | NBC-WKTV News Channel 2 – Utica News, Weather, Sports – | Local News Dirk May Law December 17, 2013 Woman accused of cashing checks belonging to dead man | NBC-WKTV News Channel 2 – Utica News, Weather, Sports – | Local News. Click above to read. Yes, it is illegal to cash Social Security checks of a dead person.