Roy David Lykins, Defrauding Social Security, Arkansas 2024

LITTLE ROCK, AR—In a shocking case of deceit, Roy David Lykins, 56, of Greenbrier, was sentenced to 19 months in federal prison for defrauding the Social Security Administration (SSA) out of $249,166.10. Lykins was also sentenced to two years of supervised release.

The investigation revealed that Lykins began receiving Title II Disability Insurance benefits in October 2001. However, in 2005, he claimed to be partially disabled and unable to care for himself, which led to him receiving undeserved benefits. Unbeknownst to the SSA, Lykins worked as a salaried farmhand in Red Oak, Arkansas, from 2005 to 2018, concealing his earnings and using his wife's Social Security number to receive his paychecks.

Lykins' actions resulted in the SSA paying him over $249,000 in undeserved benefits. He also received Medicare benefits through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that he was not entitled to, totaling approximately $56,227.40.

'This defendant knowingly concealed his earnings and was untruthful about the status of his disability, resulting in the receipt of a significant amount of undeserved money and benefits,' said Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas.

'Roy Lykins feigned a disability and provided a false Social Security number to fraudulently obtain benefits from SSA for more than a decade. By working as a farmhand and concealing his work and earnings under his wife's Social Security number, he deceived SSA that he was entitled Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits, causing SSA to improperly pay him more than $249,000,' said Hannibal 'Mike' Ware, Acting Inspector General for the Social Security Administration.

The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. Lykins was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 3, 2023, and pleaded guilty to theft of government property on January 24, 2024.

Defendant:

Roy David Lykins

Criminal Charges:

Theft of government property, making a false statement

City and State:

LITTLE ROCK, AR

Exact Date:

January 24, 2024 (plea), February [insert date] (sentencing)

Sentence or Outcome:

19 months in federal prison, two years of supervised release

Dollar Amounts:

$249,166.10 (loss suffered by the SSA), $56,227.40 (loss to HHS)

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edar/pr/greenbrier-man-sentenced-19-months-federal-prison-defrauding-social-security