Georgia Man Sentenced for Stealing Disability Benefits from Social Security Administration
49-year-old Timmy S. Stephens of Villa Rica, GA, was sentenced to nine months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution of $126,560.50 and a fine of $5,500 for defrauding the Social Security Administration (SSA) out of over $360,000 in disability benefits. Stephens, who had claimed disability for a cardiac condition, continued to receive benefits for approximately 20 years while secretly working at a local funeral home.
Stephens began receiving disability benefits in August 2002 after claiming he was unable to work due to his health. Despite the SSA informing him that he was required to report any improvement in his condition or work activity, Stephens began working at a funeral home in January 2003 and did not report his employment to the SSA.
To conceal his work from the SSA, Stephens arranged for his income to be reported to the Internal Revenue Service under a relative’s social security number. This deception continued for years, and Stephens continued to receive monthly disability benefits, totaling over $360,000.
In 2021, the SSA discovered Stephens’ employment when they investigated discrepancies in his claims. In response, Stephens submitted a false work activity report, claiming that he had not worked since 2001. Federal agents later interviewed Stephens about his work activity, and he lied about his employment, even going so far as to provide falsified time sheets to the funeral home owner and directing her to submit the false documents to law enforcement.
Stephens was charged with stealing benefits intended for those unable to work due to disability, an act that was condemned by Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “Stealing benefits from the Social Security trust fund betrays the Social Security Administration and the people the program is designed to help,” said Moultrie.
Stephens pleaded guilty to the charges on October 17, 2024. The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Diane C. Schulman.
