A Tennessee man named George Herman Ruth, 69, has been charged with stealing the identities of hundreds of former baseball players in a $550,000 fraud scheme. Prosecutors allege Ruth used the names and Social Security numbers of retired and deceased players to pose as a legitimate claimant in class-action lawsuits. His operation, which began in 2023, involved opening multiple post office boxes under his own name and “Class Action Solutions LLC.” Ruth faces 91 federal charges, including mail fraud, identity theft, and money laundering. If convicted, he could serve over 20 years in prison and pay a $250,000 fine. He was previously convicted of Social Security fraud and was on probation when he allegedly launched this latest scheme. The identities of the specific players impacted have not been released. Prosecutors say some were retired first basemen, while others were deceased catchers who played for the Yankees and Browns. (Newser)
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