Alabama Man Charged with Defrauding Jefferson County Retirement Plan

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – An Alabama man has been charged with devising a scheme to defraud Jefferson County’s retirement plan, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr.

An information filed today in United States District Court charges GARY DEAN GIBBS, JR., 52, with one count of wire fraud. According to the information, Gibbs’ father was a former employee of Jefferson County, Alabama, who was receiving benefits from The General Retirement System for Employees of Jefferson County (“GRS”). GRS is a retirement plan that provides benefits to retired and disabled employees of Jefferson County, Alabama. The information alleges that, beginning in September 2017 and continuing until February 2022, Gibbs concealed his father’s death from GRS and collected money from GRS to which he was not entitled. According to the information Gibbs used his father’s personal identifiers and forged his father’s signature on documents submitted to GRS to further his scheme. Additionally, the information alleges that Gibbs assumed his father’s identity during telephone calls with a GRS employee.

According to a plea agreement, also filed today, Gibbs agreed to plead guilty to the information. The plea agreement states that Gibbs collected approximately $132,646.12 to which he was not entitled.

The maximum penalty for wire fraud is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The FBI investigated the case along with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney George Martin is prosecuting the case.

An information contains only charges.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.