Owner of Tucson Plumbing Company Sentenced to Prison for Providing False Statements to the Social Security Administration

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona:

TUCSON, Ariz. – On October 6, 2020, Kevin Cummings, 51, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Marquez to six months in prison. The court also ordered Cummings to pay $305,371.20 in restitution to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and a $200,000 fine. Cummings must surrender to serve his prison sentence on January 7, 2021. Cummings previously pleaded guilty to Providing a False Statement Related to Social Security.

“Yet another example of someone trying to defraud the system, this time stealing benefits intended for the disabled,” said United States Attorney Michael Bailey. “Thanks to our partners at the Social Security Office for putting the time and resources into investigating this matter.”

In his plea agreement, Cummings, admitted that in February 2003 he began to collect disability benefits from the SSA. In 2006, the SSA discovered that Cummings received employee wages during 2005 and 2006 while he also collected disability. When the SSA inquired about the wages, Cummings admitted that he caused one of his employees, on multiple occasions, to make false representations concerning his employment status with his plumbing companies. Cummings also admitted that he concealed from the SSA that he was working, while continuing to collect disability benefits from 2005 through January 2014. Cummings’ dishonesty resulted in a loss to the SSA totaling approximately $305,371.20. 

“My office will continue to hold accountable those who defraud the Social Security Administration,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General of Social Security. “I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its support of our investigation and its efforts to bring this individual to justice and recover these funds for SSA.”

The Social Security Office of Inspector General, under the supervision of Special Agent-in-Charge Robb Stickley, San Francisco Field Division, conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

TUCSON, Ariz. – On October 6, 2020, Kevin Cummings, 51, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Marquez to six months in prison. The court also ordered Cummings to pay $305,371.20 in restitution to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and a $200,000 fine. Cummings must surrender to serve his prison sentence on January 7, 2021. Cummings previously pleaded guilty to Providing a False Statement Related to Social Security.

“Yet another example of someone trying to defraud the system, this time stealing benefits intended for the disabled,” said United States Attorney Michael Bailey. “Thanks to our partners at the Social Security Office for putting the time and resources into investigating this matter.”

In his plea agreement, Cummings, admitted that in February 2003 he began to collect disability benefits from the SSA. In 2006, the SSA discovered that Cummings received employee wages during 2005 and 2006 while he also collected disability. When the SSA inquired about the wages, Cummings admitted that he caused one of his employees, on multiple occasions, to make false representations concerning his employment status with his plumbing companies. Cummings also admitted that he concealed from the SSA that he was working, while continuing to collect disability benefits from 2005 through January 2014. Cummings’ dishonesty resulted in a loss to the SSA totaling approximately $305,371.20. 

“My office will continue to hold accountable those who defraud the Social Security Administration,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General of Social Security. “I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its support of our investigation and its efforts to bring this individual to justice and recover these funds for SSA.”

The Social Security Office of Inspector General, under the supervision of Special Agent-in-Charge Robb Stickley, San Francisco Field Division, conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.