Men And Company Charged In Scheme Related To Theft Of Social Security

Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, today announced that a grand jury returned a five-count indictment charging Kevin Philip Zeszut with one count of theft of government property; charging Ohio Transport Corporation with one count of aiding and abetting the theft of government property and charging William C. Hill, Jr., with one count of aiding and abetting the theft of government property and four counts of making false statements. 

Zeszut, 60, lives in Parma, Ohio; Hill, 59, lives in Liberty Township, Ohio and Ohio Transport Corporation is located in Middletown, according to public records.

The indictment alleges that Zeszut stole and converted to his own use, $196,245 in Social Security payments and related benefits to which he was not entitled.

The indictment further alleges that Hill made false statements to agency representatives by stating that Zeszut was not an employee of his company, Ohio Transport Corporation, when, in fact, Hill knew that Zeszut was a full-time employee of his company, but was being paid using the actual name and Social Security number of a person other than Zeszut.

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendants’ prior criminal records, if any, the defendants’ role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations.  In all cases, the sentences will not exceed the statutory maximums, and in most cases they will be less than the maximum.

The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Ian D. Hoffman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Tripi, following investigation by agents of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.