Man faked retardation

[proud2BlibKansan]

Man set to plead guilty to faking retardation to collect benefits for nearly 20 years

SEATTLE (AP) — A man accused of faking retardation for nearly two decades so his mother could collect Social Security benefits has agreed to plead guilty, a federal prosecutor said Tuesday.
Pete Costello, 26, is scheduled to plead guilty Friday in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to one count of Social Security fraud. He could be sentenced to up to a year in prison and asked to repay $59,226 to the government, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Norman Barbosa.

Beginning shortly before his 8th birthday, Costello began faking retardation — appearing uncommunicative, picking at his face and slouching — in interviews with agency officials and psychologists, all at his mother's behest, Barbosa said.

His mother, Rosie Marie Costello, was indicted last fall on conspiracy and fraud charges, and prosecutors say she pulled the same trick with her daughter, who has not been charged.

http://www.courttv.com/news/2007/0207/fake_retardation_ap.html

[mmonk]

1. People need not worry.

Help for disabled children has been pretty much sacked anyway. No disabled children will pick your pockets anymore. It's all being sent to your benefactors at Haliburton and G.E..

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. They get social security

When welfare was gutted about 10 years ago, many parents tried to get their kids declared disabled so they could get SSI.

[mmonk]

6. Most programs designed towards

education and self sufficiency have been cut to the bone. Also, for many learning disabled, they have to live in abject poverty with no money to their name now to receive any benefits (new cases). As a member of the Autism society, I watched as job coaches provided dwindled and dwindled until they had only one job coach available for our county (a very large county in terms of population). Then that one disappeared. Only private for pay are available now.

[xultar]

2. tee hee hee. *

[Hissyspit]

3. David Cross played a character who did that on "Just Shoot Me!"

[nuxvomica]

4. "Chicken Pot, Chicken Pot, Chicken Pot Pie! "

I used to think the concept was a little out there but I guess it does happen. I often think of Donnie now. After he was found out, he still made a weak attempt to continue the hoax just like the Repubs these days.

[Cobalt Violet]

7. I smell another adult diaper story.

This mother has fucked him up. That's awful.

[blueknight]

8. so bush has been faking

all this time?:shrug: who would have known?

[Cobalt Violet]

9. He's just too good at it.

I don't think he could possibly be faking.

[nealmhughes]

10. Actually it is a fairly common scam, the money is known as "crazy checks" by the moms.

A friend of mine has a cousin who has 3 kids getting SSI -- none of them actually retarted or "crazy."

Every instance of this is an insult to people who need SSDI and other SS benefits.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. I agree

I have a couple parents a year try to apply for SSI. And in all the years I have taught special ed, I have had 2 kids who really were eligible for it. SSI means permanent, lifelong disability, with no chance of ever living independently or being employed. Very few disabled people meet those criteria.