We have seen many different ways people have tried to obtain Social Security benefits fraudulently, but this one may be one of the more creative ways.
According to this story from NJ.com, a New Jersey man pled guilty to using three different Social Security numbers to defraud the government out of more than $220,000 in Social Security benefits.
Fernando Solaris, 63, pled guilty to one count each of Social Security disability fraud and theft of government property according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The story indicates Solaris slightly altered his name when he applied for a second and third Social Security card going all the way back to 2002. He used one of the Social Security numbers to apply for and be approved for disability benefits, but he continued to work using other Social Security numbers. In addition to collecting disability benefits, Solaris also used the multiple Social Security numbers to collect unemployment benefits and received more than $21,000 in spousal benefits from Social Security.
This fraudulent activity lasted until 2015. He is facing up to 15 years of prison when he is scheduled to be sentenced June 4.
On The Same Note
A former Maine man has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for attempting to obtain a new Social Security card so he didn’t have to pay alimony or child support. The Bangor Daily News reported that Lachlan Olen Granite, formerly known as Scott Edward Bounds, 54, now of New Hampshire, owed back alimony and child support and believed the new Social Security number and other new identification would allow him to skip out on his alimony and child support obligations. According to the story, Granite informed a Social Security employee that he had recently moved to Maine after being excommunicated from an Amish community in Illinois.
