Syracuse Man Sentenced For Social Security Fraud

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Blair Taylor, 51, of Syracuse, New York, was sentenced yesterday in United States District Court to one year in prison and three years of supervised release, after having previously pled guilty to defrauding the Social Security Administration ("SSA") of more than $87,000 over a period of several years, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Edward J. Ryan, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General.

Taylor was charged in a three-count indictment with theft of government money, making a false statement in an application for Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits ("DIB"), and concealing from the Social Security Administration ("SSA") years of employment income he earned while receiving DIB payments.

Taylor admitted that he applied for DIB in April 2006, claiming that he was totally disabled. Between April 2006 and January 2015, SSA paid Taylor approximately $87,138.90 as a result of his disability claim. While he was receiving these payments on a monthly basis, Taylor also earned income from various jobs using a different Social Security number than the one under which he and his dependent children were receiving Social Security benefits. Taylor concealed from SSA his employment and employment income under the second Social Security number, which would have affected his eligibility for benefits. In September 2010, Taylor attempted to obtain additional Social Security benefits to which he was not entitled by filing a disability claim under the second Social Security number. In his September 2010 application, Taylor falsely reported that he had never previously applied for benefits from SSA.

As part of his sentence, Taylor was ordered to make restitution payments to the Social Security Administration, in addition to serving his one-year term of imprisonment.

This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, and it was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael F. Perry.