Date: 02-16-2017

Case Style:

Case Number: 3:16-cr-00073-BJD-MCR

Judge: Brian Davis

Court: United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida (Duval County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Jason Mehta and Bonnie Ames Glober

Defendant's Attorney: Waffa Hanania - FPD

Description: Jacksonville, FL - Jacksonville Man Sentenced For Stealing Nearly A Quarter Million Dollars Of Social Security Disability Benefits

Robert Lee Lanier (57, Jacksonville) to 18 months in federal prison for theft of more than $236,000 in government property. He pleaded guilty on November 18, 2016.

According to court documents and sentencing testimony, Lanier had been receiving Social Security Disability Benefits and Medicare Benefits since 1995. In receiving the benefits, he indicated that he was unable to work. However, Lanier was actually operating a Handyman Service and boasted that he had “made millions of dollars” running the business. While receiving disability benefits, he was completing home repairs, performing trim work, building fences, and doing other home improvements. He admitted that he had lied to investigators and that he knew he would be disqualified and lose his benefits if the government knew he was capable of working. In all, Lanier received more than $155,316 from the Social Security Administration and more than $81,365 from the Medicare program over the past eight years.

This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General.

Outcome: Defendant was sentenced to 18 months' in prison.

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

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