Olney Man Pleads Guilty to Social Security Fraud

James L. Porter, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that David Mitchell Carter, 49, of Olney, Illinois, pled guilty to the charge of Theft of Government Funds in the United States District Court in Benton, Illinois. The theft charge constitutes the Social Security fraud. The charge carries maximum penalties of ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Sentencing is set for May 3, 2016.

The indictment, to which Carter pled, alleges that from around January 2008, continuing to around January 2014, Carter did knowingly steal and convert money belonging to the Social Security Administration, having a value in excess of $1,000.00, by concealing his employment status in order to receive benefits from the Social Security Administration’s Title II Disability Insurance Benefits program, to which he knew he was not entitled by failing to disclose income through employment.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Liam Coonan.