Opinion ID: 656976
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The false disability claim convictions.

Text: 12 To prove that Billups made false representations to the United States Department of Labor in order to fraudulently obtain disability benefits, the government was required to show: (1) that Billups presented the claims to the Department of Labor, (2) that the claims were false, fictitious or fraudulent, and (3) that Billups knew the claims were false, fictitious or fraudulent. 18 U.S.C. Sec. 287; see United States v. Haddon, 927 F.2d 942, 950-51 (7th Cir.1991). 13 In addition to bringing forward evidence that Billups was employed at jobs other than the Postal Service at the same time as she was presenting her claim to the Department of Labor for partial disability benefits, the government also showed that Billups used a fictitious name and social security number at her other jobs, that she submitted forms to the Department of Labor indicating that she had no other gainful employment, and that she set up a post office box to receive her disability payments. From these facts, a jury could reasonably infer that Billups knew that her disability claims were fraudulent. See Haddon, 927 F.2d at 951. As in the case of the mail fraud charges, the jury was entitled to reject Billups' testimony denying any wrongdoing. See, e.g., Hartmann, 958 F.2d at 780. 14