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 reveals that Langford applied for Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits in November 2008 due to a reported disabling condition. In May 2009, he also applied for child/auxiliary benefits for his minor children. By late 2009, SSA had informed Langford about his eligibility for disability benefit payments and his obligation to report any return to work or improvement in health conditions.
Despite these notifications, Langford allegedly returned to work without informing SSA as required. From January 2014 through May 2021, he received over $270,000 in disability benefits which he was reportedly not entitled to. The indictment claims that Langford provided false information by hiding his ownership and operation of NDA Cleaning Services in Maryland and CK Janitors, Inc., in Virginia to continue receiving these payments. He is accused of using an Internal Revenue Service system to apply for Employer Identification Numbers related to this 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. Sentences are typically less than maximum penalties as they are determined by a federal district court judge who considers U.S. Sentencing Guidelines among other factors.
It is important to note that an indictment is not a finding of guilt; individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty at trial.
U.S. Attorney Hayes praised the efforts of SSA-OIG and TIGTA in their investigation and extended thanks to Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kertisha Dixon who is prosecuting the case.
Further details about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office can be found at www.justice.gov/usao-md.