Illinois Man Cheats Social Security Disability System, Gets Three Years In Jail

WQAD.com reports that a man from Lenzburg, Illinois was sentenced to over three years in jail and fines on $143,000 for Social Security Disability fraud.

The man, 55-year-old John Laird, applied for Social Security Disability benefits in 1989 and was approved. At the time, Laird had partial paralysis in his arms and had mobility problems, making it impossible to work. However, two years later, he began working as a mechanic. Although he was now supporting himself, he did not alert the Social Security Administration of his health improvements and continued to collect his checks. Now he must pay back the money in full.

Laird also failed to tell the SSA about a 2001 drug charge that would have also affected his benefits.

In August, Laird pleaded guilty to concealment of information from the SSA in an East St. Louis Court. Last week, the judge handed down his sentence.