A federal grand jury has indicted Andrew Langford, a 49-year-old resident of Ft. Washington, Maryland, on charges of wire fraud, theft of government property, and failure to disclose an event. The announcement was made by Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, alongside Special Agent in Charge Colleen Lawlor from the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG) – Philadelphia Field Division, and Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay from the Mid-Atlantic Field Division of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).
The indictment states that Langford applied for Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits in November 2008 due to a disabling condition that he claimed prevented him from working. In May 2009, he also applied for child/auxiliary benefits for his minor children. Later that year, SSA informed Langford about his eligibility and commencement of disability benefit payments while outlining his obligation to report any return to work or improvement in health.
Despite receiving over $270,000 in disability benefits between January 2014 and May 2021, Langford allegedly failed to notify SSA upon returning to work. He is accused of defrauding SSA by concealing his ownership and operation of NDA Cleaning Services in Maryland and CK Janitors, Inc., in Virginia to continue receiving payments. Furthermore, Langford reportedly used an Internal Revenue Service system to apply for Employer Identification Numbers linked to his businesses involved in the alleged fraud.
If convicted, Langford could face up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud, 10 years for theft of government property, and five years for failure to disclose an event. However, actual sentences are generally less than maximum penalties as determined by a federal district court judge who considers U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
It is important to note that an indictment is not a determination of guilt; individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty through subsequent criminal proceedings.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended both SSA-OIG and TIGTA for their investigative efforts and extended thanks to Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kertisha Dixon who is prosecuting the case.
For further details on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office or resources available for reporting fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md or https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
