Federal authorities claim that a Social Security employee stole $75,000 from his employer by inventing identities for two children who never existed and then requesting that the government give them almost three years' worth of benefit checks.
Following his arrest earlier this week, Lee Marvin Nichols will make his Texas court debut on Friday.
He allegedly worked as a claims specialist at the time of the conspiracy, according to the prosecution.
He submitted a terminally sick man's disability application in March 2020, then allegedly created the identities of two minors and connected them to a seriously handicapped lady in Mexico who he listed as the mother.
Mr. Nichols then identified the terminally ill crippled man as the father of the two made-up children and ordered that they receive survivor benefits when he passed away. According to the five-page accusation, the money began pouring in September 2020 and lasted through this summer.
They said that in 2021, he received at least $75,000 in Social Security benefits in addition to $1,400 for each "kid" in fictitious pandemic stimulus money.
He tried to hide his identity when he attempted to access the money, according to the prosecution, by using sunglasses, caps pulled low over his face, and balaclavas.
As of Thursday morning, Mr. Nichols had no listed attorney.
Because it is a personnel concern, the Social Security Administration declined to disclose Mr. Nichols' work status.
Following his arrest earlier this week, Lee Marvin Nichols will make his Texas court debut on Friday.
He allegedly worked as a claims specialist at the time of the conspiracy, according to the prosecution.
He submitted a terminally sick man's disability application in March 2020, then allegedly created the identities of two minors and connected them to a seriously handicapped lady in Mexico who he listed as the mother.
Mr. Nichols then identified the terminally ill crippled man as the father of the two made-up children and ordered that they receive survivor benefits when he passed away. According to the five-page accusation, the money began pouring in September 2020 and lasted through this summer.
They said that in 2021, he received at least $75,000 in Social Security benefits in addition to $1,400 for each "kid" in fictitious pandemic stimulus money.
He tried to hide his identity when he attempted to access the money, according to the prosecution, by using sunglasses, caps pulled low over his face, and balaclavas.
As of Thursday morning, Mr. Nichols had no listed attorney.
Because it is a personnel concern, the Social Security Administration declined to disclose Mr. Nichols' work status.
