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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Thursday - May 15, 2003

RALEIGH - United States Attorney Frank D. Whitney announced that DONALD SCOTT BENSON pled guilty to a five-count Criminal Information in federal court in Raleigh, N. C., on Wednesday, May 14, 2003. Chief U. S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle presided. BENSON, 33, of 4033 East Pine Street, Pine Level, N. C., entered his pleas of guilty to: making a false statement to obtain federal workers' compensation benefits; three counts of making false statements to agencies of the United States; and failure to disclose information to an agency of the United States in order to obtain federal benefits.

According to the Criminal Information and evidence presented in court, BENSON did not report earnings from federal assistance programs to the Secretary of Labor and thus falsely obtained compensation, payment, and benefits. The evidence also showed that he made false statements to the Veterans Administration to increase his disability benefits; to the USDA's Rural Housing Service in connection with the receipt of mortgage housing assistance subsidies; and to the USDA's Department of Social Services in connection with the receipt of food stamps benefits. Additionally, the evidence showed that BENSON failed to disclose information to the Social Security Administration that would affect his right to payments and the amount due to him.

He could face a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000.00, and three years of supervised release for each count. A sentencing date has not been set.

Investigation of the case was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U. S. Attorney Jennifer May-Parker is handling the case for the government.

News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney's web page at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce within 48 hours of release.