MEMPHIS, TN--Southwest Tennessee Community College head basketball coach and athletic director, Benjamin Rhodes, pleaded guilty today to theft of social security benefits.
49-year-old Rhodes of Millington pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts related to illegally receiving
and cashing approximately $12,800 in Social Security disability payments.
Rhodes submitted guilty pleas for one count of converting to his own use SSI disability payments
made after the death of four individuals and one count of intentionally concealing the death of the
beneficiaries in order to continue to receive and spend payments made by the Social Security
Administration.
Each charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines, three years
supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Rhodes began his criminal activity on or about March 1, 2007, and it continued until March 1,
2012. Utilizing a rental property, Rhodes arranged to take in disabled individuals in exchange for
his being named guardian over them. During the five years in question, he diverted payments for
at least four individuals, and continued to receive and cash SSI payments following their deaths.
He was named Athletic Director and Head Basketball Coach at Southwest Tennessee
Community College in July 2012.
