An Ohio man has been handed a prison sentence for fraudulently claiming government benefits by feigning health issues, according to a press release from the Department of Justice. Michael W. Honaker of Windham, Ohio, will serve 31 months following his guilty plea to wire fraud and theft of government property.
Honaker's case came to a close last Friday when U.S. District Judge David A. Ruiz sentenced him and imposed an order for restitution totaling more than $536,000 to be paid to various government agencies, including the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation and the Social Security Administration. The 55-year-old had been accepting workers' compensation since 1998, and Social Security disability benefits beginning in 1999. His deceit extended into housing benefits from March 2012, obtained from a program run through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Investigators found Honaker had repeatedly lied about his physical state, on one occasion during a doctor's appointment, feigning difficulty walking, and falsely claiming the use of crutches and a wheelchair. "He had no problem going to great lengths to hide his deceitful behavior and reap the benefits from programs that are meant for people who truly need them," remarked United States Attorney David M. Toepfer, as reported by the Department of Justice press release.
The efforts of the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation alongside local and federal agencies played a substantial role in bringing Honaker's scheme to light. According to the Department of Justice press release, HUD Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice said, "HUD OIG will continue to work with its prosecutorial and law enforcement partners to vigorously pursue those who seek to profit by abusing HUD-funded programs." Honaker's fraudulent acts put HUD's resources for low-income families at risk and sparked concerted efforts to protect these funds from being misused.
Nichole E. Johnson, found to be an accomplice in the scheme, was already sentenced to 24 months of probation after her guilty plea for making a false statement concerning Honaker's health to the SSA. Johnson, who resided unauthorized at the compromised address since 2016, was also ordered to pay restitution of $4,624. The case was investigated by a slew of agencies, including HUD-OIG and the Windham Police Department, with Special Assistant United States Attorney Jason W. White leading the prosecution for the case in the Northern District of Ohio.
