Fraudsters are masters at concealing things. (They know how to keep incriminating evidence out of sight and bury fraudulent details so that it is difficult to detect when a crime has occurred.) An article published in The Times Union tells about a couple who concealed the extent of their involvement in a disability scam resulting in the theft of more than $400,000 in disability benefits from the Social Security Administration.
The story states that the man and wife, who owned a trucking company in New York, made false statements in order to receive disability benefits for which they did not qualify. (Apparently, the couple did not report income received from the trucking business, nor did the man reveal that he was the sole truck driver for the business.) The man and his wife carried out the scam over a period of six years and seven years respectively, before being caught.
The 50-year-old man was sentenced to 18 months in prison and will serve three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $314,650 in restitution. The 50-year-old wife received three years of probation and was ordered to pay back $88,120 in restitution.
Disability benefits are intended to provide income to those who have a medical condition that prevents them from working. It’s not supposed to provide extra pocket change for someone who is physically able to bring home a paycheck. In this case, the couple’s sentence has been signed and sealed by the judge. They will no longer be able to conceal any fraud.
Source: Today’s ”Fraud of the Day” is based on an article titled, ”2 Sentenced in Social Security Fraud,” published by the Times Union on May 12, 2015.
ALBANY A former Gloversville couple must pay back more than $400,000 to the Social Security Administration as part of their penalty in a fraud case this week, federal authorities said.
Scott J. Bornt, 53, and his wife Geri Mondlin-Bornt, 50, currently of Hillsborough, N.J., were sentenced before Senior United States District Court Judge Thomas J. McAvoy.
