Guy With Babe Ruth’s Name in Some Identity Fraud Trouble
A Tennessee man who shares a name with baseball legend Babe Ruth has been indicted in a large-scale identity theft and fraud operation involving hundreds of former professional baseball players.
Federal prosecutors say 69-year-old George Herman Ruth stole the identities of both retired and deceased athletes—along with their Social Security numbers—to illegally claim over $500,000 in class-action settlement funds. The alleged scheme began in early 2023 and involved Ruth opening multiple post office boxes under his own name and the alias “Class Action Solutions LLC.”
According to the New York Times, Ruth submitted fraudulent claims in class-action lawsuits covering a wide range of issues, including workplace discrimination, price-fixing, and illegal telemarketing. In some cases, he allegedly used the identities of a retired first baseman who played for the Mets, Blue Jays, and Marlins, and a deceased catcher who had played for the Yankees and Browns. Authorities have not disclosed the names of the impersonated players, nor have they confirmed whether the Social Security numbers used matched the individuals named.
Earlier this month, a federal grand jury indicted Ruth on 91 counts, including mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. If convicted, he could face more than 20 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. His trial is scheduled to begin in January.
Ruth was reportedly on probation for a previous Social Security fraud conviction in Indiana when he launched this latest scheme.
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