PHILADELPHIA — A Pennsylvania man has pleaded guilty to a wide-ranging fraud scheme that defrauded government assistance programs of over $1 million using stolen and fabricated identities, federal officials announced.
James Sessoms, 60, of Philadelphia, admitted to orchestrating a complex benefits scam that spanned four years and involved the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, and Social Security. The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney David Metcalf.
Sessoms was initially charged in October 2024 and has now pleaded guilty to:
One count of SNAP fraud
Seven counts of false statements related to health care benefits
Seven counts of Social Security fraud
From November 2019 to November 2023, Sessoms used stolen names, Social Security numbers, and personally identifiable information to file fraudulent applications for government aid. He also created fake identities and submitted phony driver’s licenses bearing his photo but using others’ names.
Court documents reveal that Sessoms often added fictitious spouses and children to these applications to inflate the benefits he received. He then allegedly sold SNAP cards at local supermarkets for profit.
The scheme led to an estimated $1,063,633 in losses for the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, who unknowingly provided benefits to Sessoms under multiple aliases.
Sentencing details have not yet been announced.
