Federal and state prosecutors rounded up 83 people last month and charged them with ripping off the Social Security Administration by falsely claiming benefit checks were lost, getting a replacement, then cashing both.But defendants are crying foul, saying Social Security knew fully well they had cashed both checks, but for years treated it as a debt issue rather than a crime, according to court filings. The agency required recipients to pay it back, but took no other action until they were charged, the filings say.
In a rarely used legal argument called entrapment by estoppel, defense attorneys contend the government encouraged people to break the law and then charged them.
Feb 27, 2008
Defendants Cry Entrapment
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
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2 comments:
"In a rarely used legal argument called entrapment by estoppel, defense attorneys contend the government encouraged people to break the law and then charged them."
Rarely use, I guess so, since it's BS.
I don't remember the EM or AM to tell people it's OK to cash two check each month.
Really, they finally get called on their scam and they cry foul. SSA should not be in the business of interest free loans.
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