Thibodaux Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Disability Benefits

Clint A. Schwab, 42, of Thibodaux, Louisiana, pled guilty yesterday to theft of Social Security disability benefits, admitting to a years-long scheme that defrauded federal programs of taxpayer funds. Schwab knowingly collected monthly payments while working full-time — a direct violation of federal rules governing disability claims.

Court documents reveal Schwab began receiving Social Security disability benefits in 1998. Around 2008, he returned to the workforce but deliberately failed to notify the Social Security Administration (SSA), as required by law. For nearly eight years, he concealed his employment while cashing disability checks — a silent theft from public coffers.

In January 2016, Schwab was interviewed by the SSA and lied under inquiry, falsely claiming he had never worked since being deemed disabled. That statement, recorded and later contradicted by employment records, became a cornerstone of the federal case against him. He admitted to receiving benefits to which he had no legal right from 2008 until early 2016.

Theft of government funds carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 — or twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to the victim, whichever is greater. The exact financial loss tied to Schwab’s fraud was not disclosed, but prosecutors emphasized the seriousness of the breach.

U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon has set sentencing for May 25, 2017. Schwab now faces the consequences of a felony conviction that could land him behind bars and saddle him with steep financial penalties. His choices eroded public trust in a system meant to protect the truly disabled.

U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite commended the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, for uncovering the fraud. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard R. Pickens, II, is prosecuting the case, sending a clear message: stealing from federal benefit programs won’t go unnoticed or unpunished.