Whiting Man Cops to Social Security Fraud Scheme

Daniel Fitzsimmons, 54, of Whiting, Maine, stood before a federal judge today and admitted to a decade-long fraud scheme that bled over $157,000 from the Social Security Disability Insurance program. Fitzsimmons pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to knowingly deceiving the Social Security Administration while actively working as a commercial fisherman — the very thing his disability claims said he couldn’t do.

According to court records, Fitzsimmons began collecting SSDI benefits in 2002, claiming he was unable to perform “substantial gainful work” due to a disabling condition. For 11 years, he filed forms and sat for an in-person interview, consistently reporting little to no work and minimal annual earnings. Each submission was a lie. While collecting taxpayer-funded benefits, he was instead hauling in catches across Maine’s coastal waters, working consistently and commercially.

The fraud spanned from 2002 to 2013, during which Fitzsimmons and his dependents received $157,000 in SSDI payments from the Social Security Administration. To keep the money flowing, he maintained the fiction that his health barred him from steady employment. But federal investigators uncovered records, witness statements, and operational timelines that prove he was not only working — he was doing so steadily and for profit.

The case was cracked open by investigators from the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Coast Guard, who combed through vessel logs, earnings reports, and fishing licenses. Their probe revealed a pattern of deliberate concealment, directly contradicting Fitzsimmons’ sworn statements to the SSA. The evidence left no room for error: this was not a misunderstanding — it was a calculated fraud.

Fitzsimmons now faces up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled after the U.S. Probation Office completes a presentence investigation report, which will detail his criminal history, financial circumstances, and the full scope of the deception.

“Filing false claims for disability while working full-time insults every American who plays by the rules,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew McCormack, who is prosecuting the case. “This investigation sends a clear message: we’re watching, and we will prosecute those who exploit the system.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, led by Thomas E. Delahanty II, continues to prioritize fraud cases that undermine public trust in federal benefit programs.

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