Kevin Philip Zeszut, 60, of Parma, Ohio, is accused of stealing $196,245 in Social Security payments and related benefits to which he was not entitled, in a brazen scheme that has landed him, his employer, and a colleague in serious trouble.
According to a five-count indictment unsealed yesterday, Zeszut allegedly used the Social Security number of another person to collect the payments, which he then converted to his own use.
But Zeszut wasn’t acting alone. His employer, Ohio Transport Corporation, of Middletown, Ohio, and his colleague, William C. Hill, Jr., 59, of Liberty Township, Ohio, are also facing charges in connection with the scheme.
Hill is accused of making false statements to Social Security agency representatives, telling them that Zeszut was not an employee of Ohio Transport Corporation, when in fact, he was. The indictment alleges that Hill knew this to be false at the time.
The indictment was handed down by a grand jury in the Northern District of Ohio and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Ian D. Hoffman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Tripi, following an investigation by agents of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General.
An indictment is only a charge, and the defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which the government will have to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including their prior criminal records, if any, their role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentences will not exceed the statutory maximums, and in most cases, they will be less than the maximum.
Related Federal Cases
- Ohio Woman’s $8.5M Medicare Scam Lands Her in Hot Water · Ohio
- Bellevue Man Nabbed for 23-Year Social Security Scam · Washington
- Cleveland Woman Accused of $122K Social Security Scam · Ohio
- Ohio Man Accused of $196K Social Security Theft · Ohio
- Cleveland Woman Accused of $37K Social Security Scam · Ohio
Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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