Attorney who billed himself as "Mr. Social Security" charged with $600 million in fraud.
A Kentucky attorney focused on Social Security Disability law became the target of an FBI investigation into his practices and is now charged with defrauding the government of $600 million, according to a Special Needs Answers report "'Mr. Social Security' Indicted for Defrauding Government Out of $600M in Disability Benefits."
Eric Conn built one of the largest Social Security Disability law practices in the country and marketed himself as "Mr. Social Security." However, it appears his practice may have been built on fraud.
He worked with a team of doctors to falsify his clients' medical records. If one of his client's was denied benefits, he is charged with then bribing an administrative law judge to approve the claim. The FBI investigation has resulted in an indictment.
This is extremely good news for people with special needs and their families.
The Social Security Disability trust fund is in dire straits and would have run out in 2016 had Congress not acted to save it in late 2015 by reallocating some funds from the Social Security Retirement Trust. Eliminating a large scale fraud helps preserve funds for those who need them.
Seniors also benefit as the retirement trust fund is only slightly better off in the long term so reallocating money from it is not optimal. The two programs while different are often linked in people's minds so when people see others receiving disability benefits who should not be, they might be more likely to support cuts in retirement benefits.
Reference: Special Needs Answers (April 28, 2016) "'Mr. Social Security' Indicted for Defrauding Government Out of $600M in Disability Benefits."
