Ratliff V. United States

On March 2, 1990, a criminal information was filed which charged Ratliff with mail fraud and with knowingly filing false, fictitious and fraudulent claims against the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341 and 287. The information charged that, during his tenure as Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Labor, Office of Workmen's Compensation, Division of Black Lung Benefits, Ratliff engaged in a scheme in which he filed false claims for Coal Mine Worker's Compensation Benefits in the names of various individuals who were not entitled to benefits. The information further alleged that from December of 1983 through June of 1986, Ratliff's scheme secured $230,671.19 from the United States Treasury in fraudulent benefits.