NEWS RELEASE
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
A. COURTNEY COX, UNITED STATES ATTORNEY
Nine Executive Drive, Fairview Heights, Illinois 62208, Telephone (618) 628-3700
For Immediate Release June 19, 2009
TWO CHARGED WITH MULTIPLE FRAUD SCHEMES
A. Courtney Cox, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that JEFFREY W. RUSH, age 26, formerly of East Alton, Illinois, presently residing in Nashville, Tennessee, and AMY L. RUSH, age 25, of Glen Carbon, Illinois, were charged by a grand jury sitting in East St. Louis in a multiple count fraud indictment.
Count 1 charges JEFFREY W. and AMY L. RUSH with participating in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud involving the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. Count 2 charges JEFFREY W. RUSH with making false statements to the Social Security Administration. Count 3 charges JEFFREY W. and AMY RUSH with participating in a conspiracy to commit mail fraud involving a products liability lawsuit filed against an automobile manufacturer and a manufacturer of automobile safety equipment. Count 4 charges JEFFREY W. and AMY RUSH with participating in a mail fraud scheme involving that products liability lawsuit. Count 5 charges AMY RUSH with making false statements to the United States Department of Agriculture on a food stamp claim by concealing JEFFREY’S presence in her household and his receipt of VA and SSA benefits. Count 6 charges AMY RUSH with making false statements to the United States Department of Health and Human services on an application seeking child care assistance, similarly concealing JEFFREY’S presence in the home and his receipt of disability benefits.
Counts 1, 3, and 4 are punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to twenty years, a fine of up to $250,000, or both, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. Counts 2, 5, and 6 are punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to five years, a fine of up to $250,000, or both, and a term of supervised release of up to three years.
Arraignments are scheduled for July 7, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. in federal court in East St. Louis. A trial date has not yet been set.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General; the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General; and the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, Office of Inspector General, Bureau of Investigations. The United States Army, Criminal Investigation Division and the United States Air Force, Office of Special Investigations provided assistance during the course of the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne M. Garrison.