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Eric Christopher Conn, Social Security Fraud, Kentucky 2017
A Social Security disability lawyer has pleaded guilty to his role in a $550 million Social Security fraud scheme, authorities announced.
According to court documents, Eric Christopher Conn, 56, of Pikeville, Kentucky, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money and one count of payment of gratuities in the Eastern District of Kentucky federal court.
Conn, who operated a law firm in Floyd County, Kentucky, focused on representing individuals seeking Social Security disability benefits throughout Kentucky and elsewhere. He admitted to paying former SSA administrative law judge David B. Daugherty approximately $10,000 a month from December 2004 through April 2011 to award disability benefits to claimants for whom Conn submitted falsified medical documents.
As part of his plea, Conn admitted to submitting the falsified medical documents, and Daugherty authored decisions granting disability benefits, in well over 1,700 claimants’ cases. Conn also admitted to paying medical professionals to sign medical forms that he fabricated before evaluations of claimants took place.
Conn admitted to receiving more than $5.7 million in representative fees from the SSA based upon these fraudulent claims. His sentencing is set for July 14, 2017.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco, Special Agent in Charge Michael McGill of the SSA-OIG, and other officials made the announcement. The SSA-OIG, FBI, IRS-CI, and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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