Laurel Man Stole $214K in Disability Benefits

Brad Douglas Gatlin, 50, of Laurel, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to theft of federal funds on December 19, 2016, in U.S. District Court, admitting he stole $214,109 in disability insurance benefits while secretly working for years.

Gatlin began receiving Social Security Disability Insurance after being approved for benefits due to a claimed inability to work. But in February 2009, he returned to work for a transport company—directly violating the terms of his benefits—while concealing his employment from the Social Security Administration.

To hide his income, Gatlin had the transport company pay him using his wife’s Social Security number, creating a paper trail designed to deceive federal authorities. He continued receiving full disability payments even as he earned wages on the side, defrauding the system for more than six years.

His scheme spanned from February 2009 to March 2015, during which time Gatlin knowingly accepted benefits to which he was no longer entitled. The total loss to federal coffers: $214,109.

Gatlin now faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for March 7, 2017, at 11:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett.

The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General – Office of Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones. Authorities say the conviction sends a message: disability fraud is theft—and thieves will be prosecuted.