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Ricky James Bennefield Sentenced for Social Security Heist
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – In a shocking case of deceit and betrayal, Ricky James Bennefield, 53, of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, theft of government property, and aggravated identity theft.
Bennefield’s crimes date back to June 2010 when he and his wife, Erika Nicole Bennefield, started receiving Social Security benefits and a monthly pension belonging to Bennefield’s father-in-law, who had passed away in 2010. The couple continued to falsify documents and collect the funds until December 2016, when they were caught by local agents during a state investigation.
As revealed in court documents, Bennefield’s actions were ‘disturbing and beyond imagination,’ according to U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Phillips. Bennefield’s sentence will run consecutively to a four-year sentence he is currently serving in the state system on unrelated charges.
Bennefield pleaded guilty in March 2018 to a three-count indictment charging him with mail and wire fraud, theft of government money, and aggravated identity theft. His wife, Erika Nicole Bennefield, previously pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to serve two years in federal prison.
The investigation was led by the SSA Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Gatlinburg Police Department and Pigeon Forge Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kolman represented the United States in court proceedings.
Bennefield’s crimes were truly outrageous, and his sentence serves as a reminder that those who commit such heinous acts will be held accountable. The public’s trust in our government agencies has been shaken, but with sentences like Bennefield’s, we can begin to rebuild that trust.
In the end, justice has been served, and the Bennefields will no longer be able to exploit the system for their personal gain. As the saying goes, ‘you reap what you sow,’ and in this case, Ricky James Bennefield’s actions have reaped a 120-month sentence.
Key Facts
- State: Tennessee
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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