From jsonline, Milwaukee: A Greendale man was sentenced to a year in federal prison Tuesday for fraudulently collecting $175,000 in Social Security benefits and lying on his taxes, after he claimed he was blind and couldn't work, drive or read without help.
In reality, Lawrence Popp could do all those things, according to federal agents who secretly recorded him.
The 58-year-old man ran businesses while collecting government benefits and spent lavishly on trips and jewelry, records show. He could read small print on his phone and drive a car, a snowmobile and even a water-ski boat, according to surveillance video recorded and obtained by agents working for the Social Security Administration and the IRS....
In 2008, Popp was directed to appear for a benefits review at a Social Security Administration office in the Milwaukee area. In the interview, he repeatedly said he could not drive, adding it was "the only thing I wish I could do."
"This from a man who had just driven to the office, parked two blocks away and walked to the office," Giampietro said.
Popp told the benefits counselor he could not read small print, couldn't bowl without bumpers used by children and couldn't work.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/crime/man-who-defrauded-social-security-feigned-blindness-sentenced-to-prison-b99189050z1-241387971.html
The only I question I have is that they discovered he drove to the Social Security in 2008. why did it take 5 years for them to charge and sentence him?
Sunrise — 7:03.
11 hours ago
That's ridiculous!
ReplyDeleteThese type of situations may sometimes affect the real person in need.