Milwaukee County Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Wire Fraud Involving Government Benefit Programs

Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on July 31, 2026, United States District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller sentenced Antonio Franklin (age 47) to 18 months' imprisonment for wire fraud. According to court filings, Franklin received benefits from three government programs: Title XVI disability benefits from the United States Social Security Administration; Wisconsin Supplemental Security Income from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services; and "I Respect, I Self-Direct" (IRIS) benefits, also administered by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Collectively, these programs are designed to assist individuals with disabilities and limited financial means in obtaining necessary food, shelter, and personal care services. Franklin admitted that, during a scheme spanning from January 2020 through March 2025, he failed to disclose information to the government that would have affected his eligibility for these three programs. Specifically, Franklin admitted that he owned a bank account that he failed to disclose and that more than $1 million flowed through that account during the same period. Over the course of the more than five-year scheme, Franklin fraudulently received nearly $300,000 in government benefits to which he was not entitled. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Stadtmueller emphasized the need to deter others from fraudulently obtaining government benefits by concealing evidence of income or assets. In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered Franklin to pay restitution in the amount of the benefits he unlawfully received. “The people of the United States are fed up with being fleeced by fraudsters. Federal law enforcement authorities have no higher priority that uncovering and stopping fraud and incarcerating those who commit it,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel. “If you steal from the taxpayers, we are coming to lock you up, especially when the money is taken from programs designed to help our neighbors most in need of help.” “The sentencing in this case demonstrates the serious consequences of committing fraud against SSA’s benefit programs designed to help those in need,” said Charles Briscoe, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG), Midwestern CDI Division. “This investigation exemplifies how SSA OIG works closely with the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation and U.S. Attorney’s Office to protect the integrity of Social Security programs and pursue justice against those who seek to undermine them.” “Defrauding government benefits programs is unacceptable,” said AG Kaul. “Thank you to those who secured the conviction and sentence in this case.” This case was investigated by the U.S. Social Security Administration Cooperative Disability Investigations Unit (CDIU) - Milwaukee and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and Medicaid Fraud Control and Elder Abuse Unit. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carter B. Stewart. On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. ### For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero (414) 297-1700 Follow us on X