Jason Stokes applied for Social Security Title II Disability Insurance Benefits in December 2012, claiming he could not work due to illness. Low and behold, Jason was healthy (surprise) and worked as a self-employed construction contractor, putting his LLC in his wife’s name to hide his employability. Great marriage goals right there. Committing to each other and to the undertaking of committing fraud. And Jason and Tami were fully committed. At least to fraud. Time will tell about the marriage while the fraudsters spend time in separate prisons.
Over the course of ten years, Jason and his wife Tami repeatedly lied to the Social Security Administration about the nature and extent of Jason’s alleged disability, claiming Jason needed a wheelchair, could not physically function without constant assistance, could not leave home and was unable to work. Jason feigned symptoms at doctors’ appointments to sell the deception. Must have been a showstopping performance.
Based on their fraudulent reports, the couple qualified for and received $166,458 in Title II benefits for his falsified disability. Jason and Tami also obtained Title II benefits on behalf of their minor dependent child totaling $43,042. Didn’t want to leave Junior out of the scheme. They are dedicated parents. In total, the Stokes family received $209,500 in disability benefits between 2013 and 2023. During this time, the Stokes family purchased three snowmobiles, two vehicles, a trailer and a motorcycle. Not exactly the wheelchair Jason claimed he needed.
The decade-long fraud scheme was exposed in 2022 when a doctor conducting a required exam noted Jason’s muscle tone and other bodily functions were inconsistent with his reported impairment. Police surveillance efforts found that Jason left home to drive, shop, go to restaurants and even travel to Mexico for scuba diving.
On May 15, 2024, Tami Stokes was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Jason Stokes was sentenced the following day to 18 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Shout out to the doctor who actually examined this fraudster and turned him in to authorities.
Today’s Fraud of The Day is based on article “Lead couple sentenced after defrauding Social Security for a decade” published by News Center1 on May 18, 2024.
A Lead couple convicted of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States has been sentenced to prison and ordered to pay $211,564.17 in restitution.
The conviction stems from a scheme by Jason Lee Stokes, 48, and Tami Lee Stokes, 52 to fraudulently obtain benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) between 2013 and 2023.
