Greenbrier Man Sentenced to 19 Months in Federal Prison for Defrauding Social Security Administration

LITTLE ROCK—Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced today that Roy David Lykins, 56, of Greenbrier, who fraudulently collected more than $249,000 from the Social Security Administration (SSA), was sentenced to 19 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller. Lykins was also sentenced to two years of supervised release.  

      Lykins began receiving Title II Disability Insurance benefits beginning in October 2001. Sometime in February 2005, pursuant to a medical review with the SSA, Lykins claimed in official documents that he could only walk 35 to 50 feet. He also claimed that he could not take care of his own personal hygiene and that he could not understand or follow instructions. From 2002 through 2005, Lykins continued to receive Title II Disability Insurance benefits. Pursuant to notices issued by the SSA, Lykins is required to promptly report any work, earnings, or changes in his condition.

      The investigation into Lykins revealed that from 2005 through 2018, Lykins worked as a salaried farmhand in Red Oak, Arkansas. During this time, Lykins received Title II Disability Insurance benefits and did not report his employment to SSA. Lykins concealed his earnings by convincing his employer to issue his paychecks in his wife’s name and Social Security number. During the period 2005 through 2022, Lykins never reported any work, earnings, or changes in his condition as is required by the SSA.

      If Lykins would have reported his earnings as a farmhand in 2005, his benefits would have been terminated. Because Lykins did not report his earnings, the resulting loss suffered by the SSA is approximately $249,166.10. Additionally, Lykins received Medicare benefits through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that he was not entitled. The amount of loss to HHS is 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,” Ross said. “Please let this be a warning to those who seek to engage in similar conduct: our office will hold you accountable and seek significant penalties.”

      “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. This 19-month federal prison sentence now holds him accountable for his criminal acts,” said Hannibal “Mike” Ware, Acting Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “I commend the work of our investigators, and our Cooperative Disability Investigations Unit for their diligent efforts in working to protect taxpayers and SSA benefits. I also thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work in prosecuting this case and bringing forth justice.”     

      Lykins was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 3, 2023. He was charged with one count of theft of government property and one count of making a false statement. On January 24, 2024, Lykins pleaded guilty to theft of government property in exchange for dismissal of the remaining charge.

      The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General.

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