LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) - A 51-year-old man has pleaded guilty to making false statements to the Social Security Administration about his disability status in order to get nearly $200,000 in fraudulent benefits.
U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley’s office said Wednesday that William Joseph Folse Jr., of Scott, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate C. Michael Hill.
Finley’s office said Folse was granted benefits for total disability in the 1990s after an accident but was supposed to report any job status change. Investigators later found that Folse worked at a Lafayette restaurant since 1998, earning more than $12,000 annually, plus tips.
It is estimated that he improperly received $199,000 from the SSA.
Folse faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, restitution, and three years of supervised release.
Sentencing is set for May 16.
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