CLEVELAND, OH – Leon Pinckney, 62, of Cleveland, is headed to jail after a decade-long scheme to defraud the Department of Veterans Affairs out of over $205,000. Pinckney was sentenced to nine months imprisonment and ordered to fully repay the stolen funds, a judgement handed down by U.S. District Judge Christopher Boyko.
The fraud unfolded over a period of seven years, from 2005 to 2012. Pinckney initially obtained benefits in 2005 by falsely claiming inability to work and lack of income, leveraging a Social Security Number (SSN) issued in 1969. However, court documents reveal that Pinckney was, in fact, employed during this period – using a second fraudulently obtained SSN from 1984 to conceal his earnings.
The scheme deepened in 2012 when Pinckney applied for and received Social Security disability benefits under the second SSN, effectively doubling down on his deception. He successfully concealed his income from both agencies, raking in benefits he wasn’t entitled to. The total stolen amount reached a staggering $205,534.
“This defendant deserves to be locked up after more than a decade of stealing from the public,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja. The sentiment underscores the seriousness with which federal prosecutors are pursuing these cases, particularly those that prey on public resources.
Gavin McClaren, Resident Agent in Charge of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General’s Cleveland office, added, “Pension fraud takes money from vulnerable veterans, leaving taxpayers with the bill.” The investigation was a joint effort between the VA OIG and the Social Security Administration OIG, highlighting the interagency cooperation needed to combat these complex financial crimes.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa J. Sanniti. Pinckney’s sentence serves as a warning: exploiting the benefits system will be met with federal prosecution and, ultimately, a jail cell. The stolen $205,534 must be repaid in full, a debt Pinckney will carry even after serving his sentence.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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