AG: Suffolk County weightlifter arrested after claiming $100K in disability benefits
Raymond Phillips, of Huntington, was arrested after Attorney General Letitia James says he wrote on paperwork that he was unable to work due to serious injuries he suffered in 2018 from lifting weights.
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A 40-year-old avid weightlifter is facing two felonies after allegedly getting disability benefits through fraudulent means.
Raymond Phillips, of Huntington, was arrested after Attorney General Letitia James says he wrote on paperwork that he was unable to work due to serious injuries he suffered in 2018 from lifting weights.
However, while collecting benefits, Phillips was allegedly continuing to weightlift and posting videos to Facebook and Instagram of him lifting weights, participating in weightlifting competitions and advertising his own personal trainer business.
In August 2018, he submitted paperwork to the New York Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, saying his dominant arm was seriously injured, that he had undergone surgery and was unable to perform routine activities without help.
His application was approved and investigators found that from May 2012 to December 2024, he had collected $100,000. He continued to claim benefits through October 2025.
The Attorney General's office provided pictures of Phillips benching and squatting hundreds of pound of weight at The American Pro competition in 2023.
He is charged with grand larceny and two counts offering a false instrument for filing.
He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
