• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Blind’ Man Caught in Disability Fraud After Seen Driving a Speed Boat

Rocketman

Banned
DP Veteran
Joined
Nov 10, 2012
Messages
5,660
Reaction score
1,252
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Libertarian - Right
A “blind” Wisconsin man’s $175,000 Social Security disability fraud scheme ended when federal agents caught him driving a speedboat, according to the inspector general.

Lawrence Popp, 58, was sentenced to one year in prison on Tuesday for defrauding the Social Security Administration after pretending to be blind in order to get disability benefits. Popp said he was unable to drive, read, or “bowl without bumpers” due to his condition.

Popp, a wealthy businessman, continued to work and go on lavish vacations in the Cayman Islands while collecting disability benefits for five years.

Popp was found out after agents from the IRS and the SSA caught him driving a water-ski boat, a snowmobile, and driving a car to and from his benefits office, according to the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel.

Popp collected $115,000 in unlawful Medicare benefits and evaded $178,000 in taxes between 2004 and 2009 in addition to disability payments.

‘Blind’ Man Caught in Disability Fraud After Seen Driving a Speed Boat | Washington Free Beacon
 
A “blind” Wisconsin man’s $175,000 Social Security disability fraud scheme ended when federal agents caught him driving a speedboat, according to the inspector general.

Lawrence Popp, 58, was sentenced to one year in prison on Tuesday for defrauding the Social Security Administration after pretending to be blind in order to get disability benefits. Popp said he was unable to drive, read, or “bowl without bumpers” due to his condition.

Popp, a wealthy businessman, continued to work and go on lavish vacations in the Cayman Islands while collecting disability benefits for five years.

Popp was found out after agents from the IRS and the SSA caught him driving a water-ski boat, a snowmobile, and driving a car to and from his benefits office, according to the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel.

Popp collected $115,000 in unlawful Medicare benefits and evaded $178,000 in taxes between 2004 and 2009 in addition to disability payments.

‘Blind’ Man Caught in Disability Fraud After Seen Driving a Speed Boat | Washington Free Beacon

Pretty good pay for one year in the slammer. Probably be out in a few months. They really need to investigate and actually punish people like this.
 
Pretty good pay for one year in the slammer. Probably be out in a few months. They really need to investigate and actually punish people like this.

I know, I bet everyone of us here know at least 5 people that are questionable if we are honest with ourselves.
 
I know, I bet everyone of us here know at least 5 people that are questionable if we are honest with ourselves.

You know 10 people with fake disability? You must get out more than I do. But there are certainly plenty of fakes who **** it up for the real ones. It's shameful really.
 
All of that money should have to to be repaid along with fines on top of that.
 
The guy could have been plenty blind and still be able to drive a boat.
He shouldn't've said that he couldn't drive.

I used know a blind guy who drove a motorcycle! :shock:
At night!:shock::shock:

No, he had no license. He couldn't get on because he was blind.
 
You know 10 people with fake disability? You must get out more than I do. But there are certainly plenty of fakes who **** it up for the real ones. It's shameful really.

Probably at least 5 that are questionable
 
A “blind” Wisconsin man’s $175,000 Social Security disability fraud scheme ended when federal agents caught him driving a speedboat, according to the inspector general.

Lawrence Popp, 58, was sentenced to one year in prison on Tuesday for defrauding the Social Security Administration after pretending to be blind in order to get disability benefits. Popp said he was unable to drive, read, or “bowl without bumpers” due to his condition.

Popp, a wealthy businessman, continued to work and go on lavish vacations in the Cayman Islands while collecting disability benefits for five years.

Popp was found out after agents from the IRS and the SSA caught him driving a water-ski boat, a snowmobile, and driving a car to and from his benefits office, according to the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel.

Popp collected $115,000 in unlawful Medicare benefits and evaded $178,000 in taxes between 2004 and 2009 in addition to disability payments.

‘Blind’ Man Caught in Disability Fraud After Seen Driving a Speed Boat | Washington Free Beacon

So he gets one year in jail for lying and defrauding the government...for five years! :wow: On the other hand, when politicians do that, they get reelected, so I guess it's fair! I wonder what Bernie Madoff is thinking right about now?

Greetings, Rocketman. :2wave:
 
I know, I bet everyone of us here know at least 5 people that are questionable if we are honest with ourselves.

I only know one person on Disability. He's more disabled than I am, and I should be on Disability.
 
Not very bright of him. He should have come up with a different disability, like deafness... then he could have driven the boat. heh
 
Not very bright of him. He should have come up with a different disability, like deafness... then he could have driven the boat. heh

I don't think that is the point.

The man is wealthy so why would he need to defraud the government out of 100K?

It seems like it was not worth the trouble and all the faking.
 
pretty ballsy driving to the benefit office.
 
I wonder why it took the feds five years to figure this out.
 
I know, I bet everyone of us here know at least 5 people that are questionable if we are honest with ourselves.

Why on earth haven't you reported this theft of taxpayer funds?
 
Why on earth haven't you reported this theft of taxpayer funds?

I have and seen two lose it, it is amazing what is believed with a simple note from a doctor
 
I don't think that is the point.

The man is wealthy so why would he need to defraud the government out of 100K?

It seems like it was not worth the trouble and all the faking.
Many rich folks are only about getting richer. There's no satisfying them most of the time.
 
I wonder why it took the feds five years to figure this out.

There probably aren't enough federal workers to investigate claims. You know, some folks have repeatedly called them lazy or leeches etc. Calling for the elimination of federal employees etc.
 
administration sets policy.

True. Part of it is an aging work force. Part of it is lack of education. And surely part of it is an effort to get people off unemployment rolls who likely will not be among the first selected for a prospective job in any case. I suppose it does look better for employment numbers, but the money is being spent either way. Disability claims don't generally garner a lot of attention, but employment is regularly reported and widely observed.
 
There probably aren't enough federal workers to investigate claims. You know, some folks have repeatedly called them lazy or leeches etc. Calling for the elimination of federal employees etc.

I don't know. That could be true. The number of claims has skyrocketed, so maybe enforcement is lagging. The criteria for determining disability is a moving target sort of thing. A person without a college degree and severe back problems can probably qualify, whereas a person suffering the same malady with a college degree probably would not. That's why I was wondering how this fellow slipped through the cracks. Five years is a long time.
 
Why on earth haven't you reported this theft of taxpayer funds?

I've tried to report such fraud a few times. Never got much of a response, and the person i reported to seemed pretty disinterested
 
True. Part of it is an aging work force. Part of it is lack of education. And surely part of it is an effort to get people off unemployment rolls who likely will not be among the first selected for a prospective job in any case. I suppose it does look better for employment numbers, but the money is being spent either way. Disability claims don't generally garner a lot of attention, but employment is regularly reported and widely observed.

well disability is also about if the *person* can work again. And if you have some highschool dropout who can't perform manual labor or even stand for long periods, it's unlikely you're going to find that person an office job (assuming an available one even existed)

So it's a bit more complicated than many people want to admit
 
Back
Top Bottom