A Long Island man, Raymond Phillips, 40, was arrested in July 2026 following an investigation that found he allegedly collected more than $100,000 in disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) between 2021 and 2024. Phillips is accused of receiving these payments while simultaneously competing in weightlifting competitions and posting videos of his workouts on social media.

According to the New York Attorney General Letitia James, Phillips filed paperwork with the New York Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) in August 2018, claiming he had injured his dominant arm in June of that year due to weightlifting. His claim was approved by the federal government in May 2021, and he received disability payments for the following three years.

The attorney general's office released photos from 2023 showing Phillips bench pressing and squatting, which contradict his disability claim. "Raymond Phillips shamelessly collected benefits meant for disabled New Yorkers while boasting his weightlifting achievements on social media," the office stated.

Attorney General James emphasized, "My office has no tolerance for fraudsters who cheat the system and steal from programs that are a lifeline for New Yorkers in need."

This case is part of a broader crackdown on benefit fraud, with the Trump administration's anti-fraud task force launching a nationwide initiative targeting unemployment benefit fraud and related abuses.

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