Eastern Kentucy lawyer Eric Conn pleaded guilty in March to both stealing from the federal government and bribing a judge and was scheduled to be sentenced next month. He had also been ordered to pay the government tens of millions of dollars. However, in a new twist the FBI said that Mr Conn removed his electronic monitoring device which violated the conditions of his bond and resulted in the U.S. District Court issuing a warrant for his arrest. 

Rags to riches tale

In what was a rags to riches tale, Mr Conn started his law practice in a trailer back in 1993 and built it into one of the most lucrative disability law firms in the country donning himself as ‘Mr Social Security’. But in an ending fit for a Grimm fairytale, Mr Conn’s empire came tumbling down when federal investigators uncovered he had been bribing a doctor and a judge to approve disability claims based on fake medical evidence.

Revoked benefits

As a result, the federal government reviewed the eligibility of some 1,500 people receiving benefits with more than half subsequently losing their benefits.

Agreed to pay millions

As part of his plea deal in March, he agreed to pay the federal government $5.7 million and to reimburse Social Security $46 million. A federal judge ordered Conn to pay $12 million in damages and $19 million in penalties to the government and two former Social Security employees who tried to expose the scheme. On top of all that, Mr Conn is also facing a liability judgment from a class action lawsuit brought by his former clients.