Two Wichita men have been brought to justice after defrauding the Social Security system, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill.
L. T. Baker, 54, and Paul David Lieder, 40, both of Wichita and Hillsboro respectively, were sentenced in separate federal cases for making false statements to the Social Security Administration in order to receive disability payments they were not entitled to.
Baker, who was gainfully employed since 2000, used a second Social Security account number that had been issued to him in a slightly different name so that the Social Security Administration would not know he was employed.
Baker was sentenced to one year in federal prison and was ordered to repay the Social Security Administration $66,354 – benefits he received while claiming to be disabled. The fraud came to light when the Kansas Department of Revenue discovered there were two Social Security numbers associated with Baker and reported that information to the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General.
Lieder, on the other hand, admitted to using his father’s Social Security number so that he could work without the Social Security Administration finding out. When Lieder’s father applied for Social Security benefits, the Social Security Administration detected that Lieder had been using his father’s number to defraud the disability program.
Lieder was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to repay $24,000 to the Social Security Administration. U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom praised the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General for its investigation of the cases and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson for his prosecution.
The cases serve as a reminder of the importance of honesty and integrity when dealing with government programs. The Social Security Administration relies on the honesty of recipients to ensure that benefits are distributed fairly and efficiently.
Related Federal Cases
- Marc Silverman Jr, Social Security Disability Benefits Theft, NY, 2023 · Kansas
- Albert Davis, Wire Fraud, Kansas City, MO, 2023 · Missouri
- Russell Hopkins, Securities Fraud Conspiracy, Kansas City MO, 2023 · Missouri
- Susan Hacker, Social Security Benefits Theft, CA, 2001-2013 · Nebraska
- Tom Beall Election Fraud Monitoring, Kansas, 2023 · Kansas
Key Facts
- State: Kansas
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
