Social Security and Disability Law
Social Security Faces Potential Big COLA Increase for 2023
Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) December 06, 2022 – Social Security retirement benefits are adjusted each year to keep pace with rising inflation. In 2023, record inflation rates may push Social Security benefits to their largest increase yet. The yearly adjustment to Social Security benefits is called a cost of living adjustment, or COLA. The…
Continue reading“John Doe” Sentenced to 57 Months for Misusing a Social Security Number and Aggravated Identity Theft
From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of New York: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – “John Doe,” of Owego, New York, was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for aggravated identity theft and misuse of a social security number. Doe used the name, social security number and date of birth of a homeless U.S. Army…
Continue readingWaterbury Man Charged with Theft of Pandemic Unemployment Benefits
From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Connecticut: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that OLAJUWON HARRINGTON, also known as “OJ Harrington,” 30, of Waterbury, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with fraud and identity theft offenses related to his alleged theft of pandemic unemployment…
Continue readingFairhope Man Sentenced to 30 Months and Ordered to Pay $1.2 Million in Restitution in PPP Fraud Case
From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Alabama: MOBILE, AL – The Hon. Terry F. Moorer has sentenced Jason Carl Pears of Fairhope, Alabama, to 30 months’ imprisonment following his August 2022 guilty plea to two counts of Wire Fraud and one count of Money Laundering. The sentence arises from Pears’ abuse of assistance…
Continue readingFrom the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey: TRENTON, N.J. – A Somerset County, New Jersey, man admitted fraudulently obtaining over $850,000 in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger, announced today. Butherde Darius, 50, of North Plainfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan in…
Continue readingSeffner Man Pleads Guilty To Aggravated Identity Theft
From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Raul Gonzalez (63, Seffner) has pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft. Gonzalez faces a mandatory sentence of two years in federal prison. According to the plea agreement, Gonzalez applied for a United…
Continue readingO’Fallon, Illinois Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison
From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Illinois: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – Yesterday afternoon, in federal court in East St. Louis, IL, Emmitt T. Tiner, 55, of O’Fallon, Illinois, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison. On July 7, 2022, Tiner pled guilty to wire fraud, extortion, sending interstate communications with the…
Continue readingTampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) November 22, 2022 – The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced plans to improve customer service and reduce wait times amid complaints about long lines in the extreme summer heat at field offices in Florida and across the United States. The SSA reopened field offices in April after more than two…
Continue readingSocial Security Administration Equity Action Plan
Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) November 15, 2022 – The Social Security Administration (“SSA”) serves as the nation’s most extensive federal program and provides a safety net for millions of individuals. In an executive summary, the SSA recently addressed its intent to address the barriers that many people have encountered when attempting to secure benefits.…
Continue readingGeorgia Woman Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Bank Fraud, Identity Theft, and CARES Act Fraud
From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Mississippi: Jackson, Miss. – An Austell, Georgia woman was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and committing COVID-relief fraud while on pretrial release, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General of the Social Security Administration.…
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