Caseyville Man Indicted For Stealing Funds From Railroad Retirement Board

Follow @SDILNews

The United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today that Dennis Harold French, 51, of Caseyville, Illinois, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that he stole unemployment and disability benefits from the United States Railroad Retirement Board.

The indictment alleges that, from May 2009 through June 2012, French fraudulently obtained monies belonging to the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, an agency of the United States, by concealing his employment status in order to receive occupational disability benefits.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release.

An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge and is entitled to a fair trial at which the Government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case was investigated by agents of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Liam Coonan.

If you suspect or know of an individual or company that is committing fraud against any U.S. Railroad Retirement Board program, you may report this to the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board's Office of Inspector General by calling 1.800.772.4258 or by e-mailing a complaint or information to: hotline@oig.rrb.gov.