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Individuals claimed to be disabled to collect annuity payments
Wayne County Sheriff’s Deputies have arrested three individuals, including the main suspect, in a ring they say defrauded a local labor union pension fund out of nearly $100,000 by claiming they were disabled, Sheriff Warren C. Evans announced today.
Tanya Jackson, 51, of Detroit, believed to be the ring leader, allegedly provided forged Social Security Administration (SSA) letters that indicated she and five other members of Laborer Union Local 334 were disabled, which qualified them for disability payments from the union’s pension fund.
“This is a slap in the face to anyone who is truly disabled,” Evans said. “For someone to claim to have suffered a debilitating injury or illness, just to collect money for doing nothing, is reprehensible.”
Also arrested was:
- Marthara Walker, 45, of Detroit who received more than $20,000 in pension funds
- Steven Hook, 49, of Trenton, who received more than $14,000.
Still on the loose are:
- Michael McCann, 42, of Detroit who received more than $23,000
- Gregory Davis, 40, of Detroit, who was paid $8,435 by the pension fund
- Leonard Davis, 37, of Detroit, who received $7,808 in pension funds. He has been living in Texas and has made arrangements to turn himself in.
According to Evans, the applications for the disability payments took place in 2004 and 2005. An investigation by the SSA’s Office of Inspector General, working with Local 334 leadership, revealed that for a $500 fee, Jackson generated bogus SSA letters indicating that she and the other suspects had become disabled and were unable to continue working.
Investigators say that Jackson fraudulently received more than $18,000 by claiming disability and helped others receive or attempt to receive more than $75,000 in undeserved payouts from the fund. The SSA later turned the investigation over to the Sheriff’s Office, which obtained warrants and made arrests.
In total, Jackson and the others obtained $92,700 from the fund. Two additional individuals who have not yet been charged allegedly attempted to scam another $29,150, but union officials had become suspicious and those funds were never paid, Evans said. According to SSA records, none of the individuals involved have ever been approved to receive SSA disability benefits.
Local 334 has since been absorbed by Local 1191. Both are members of the Greater Detroit Building Trades Council.
“We are cooperating fully in this investigation, and are grateful to the Sheriff’s Office for helping to protect our members’ retirement funds,” said Jimmy Cooper, business manager for Laborers’ Local 1191. “We take this very seriously, and are also conducting our own investigation and putting measures in place so that something like this never occurs again.”
The charges against the suspects are as follows:
- Tanya Jackson (In custody at Wayne County Jail on $100,000 ten percent bond)
- False Pretenses – More than $1,000 but less than $20,000 (5 year felony)
- Identity Theft – (5 Year felony)
- Habitual Offender – 2nd offense
- Steven Hook (free on bond)
- False Pretenses – More than $1,000 but less than $20,000 (5 year felony)
- Identity Theft – (5 Year felony)
- Marthara Walker, 45, of Oak Park (In custody)
- False Pretenses - $20,000 or more (10 year felony)
- Identity Theft – (5 Year felony)
- Habitual Offender – 3rd offense
- Michael McCann, 49 of Trenton (still at large)
- False Pretenses - $20,000 or more
- False Pretenses – More than $1,000 but less than $20,000 (5 year felony)
- Identity Theft – (5 Year felony)
- Leonard Davis, 37, of Detroit (has arranged to turn himself in)
- False Pretenses – More than $1,000 but less than $20,000 (5 year felony)
- Identity Theft – (5 Year felony)
- Habitual Offender – 3rd offense
- Gregory Davis, 40, of Detroit (still at large)
- False Pretenses – More than $1,000 but less than $20,000 (5 year felony)
- Identity Theft – (5 Year felony)
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