Herkimer County Man Pleads Guilty To Social Security Fraud

A Schuyler man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Syracuse to Social Security fraud.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says 79-year old Thomas Baxter, also know as Mark Anthony, defrauded the Social Security Administration by using a false identity to collect Social Security benefits for over a decade.

As part of his guilty plea, Baxter admitted he used a fraudulent Social Security number to obtain benefits from September 2008 to June 2019.

Officials say he also used his real name and social security number to receive Social Security benefits at the same time.

Sentencing is scheduled for February 23^rd.

Baxter faces up to five years in prison and up to three years of supervised released.