TSA Employee Pleads Guilty to Faking Cancer for 5 Years for Extra Sick Leave

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A former TSA employee who worked at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport has pleaded guilty to charges that he faked a cancer diagnosis to get paid sick leave donated by his colleagues, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Monday.

Marc Bess told his employers that he had been diagnosed with an abdominal lymphoma in 2009 and been receiving paid sick days donated to him by fellow TSA employees under the agency’s Voluntary Leave Transfer Program. In order to be eligible for the program, Bess submitted fake doctor’s notes detailing radiation treatment and surgery he claimed he was undergoing to battle his disease, the Attorney’s Office said.

The ruse worked until Bess got sloppy and signed some doctor’s notes with the name of a physician who had died several months previously, the Attorney’s Office said. Bess resigned from the TSA in January of 2015 after investigators caught up with his deception.

All told, Bess was able to claim 2,240 hours of sick leave, or approximately 280 eight-hour work days, over a five year period. The TSA estimated that it paid Bess around $60,000 in salary and benefits during his illegitimate sick leave, according to the Attorney’s Office.

Bess will be sentenced on one count of theft of government funds on July 24, the Attorney’s Office said.

“Mr. Bess’ thoughtless actions to defraud his fellow employees was indeed despicable; he betrayed the general trust of many compassionate TSA employees, who were willing to donate their hard-earned leave in support of a fellow employee,” James E. Ward, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General, said in a statement. “We are pleased with Mr. Bess’ guilty plea, and the acknowledgment that he will be held responsible for his treachery.”