Ex-Atlanta TSA Agent Faked Cancer for FIVE Years and Forged Doctors’ Notes To Get Paid Time Off

12 May, 2015 by Jennifer Van Laar

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Some people have no shame. A TSA agent gamed the system, and his co-workers, in a stunningly cruel way. He faked cancer and took advantage of their sympathy by essentially stealing their earned time off.

Marc Bess, 42, of Georgia worked at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport where he faked abdominal lymphoma and forged doctors’ notes to get time off between 2009 and 2014, authorities said.

Federal prosecutors said he pleaded guilty to theft of government funds on Monday.

Bess abused the TSA’s voluntary leave transfer program, which allows employees to donate paid time off to colleagues in cases of emergencies, according to authorities.

The former TSA employee was given approximately 2,240 hours of donated paid time off by sympathetic coworkers – totaling around $60,000 in salary and benefits, according to authorities.

Bess deceived his coworkers who donated their own paid vacation time out of concern for their colleague so he could take time off from work at the public’s expense,’ acting U.S. attorney John Horn told the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

To be eligible for the time off, employees must submit written applications describing the severity of their emergency.

Prosecutors said Bess submitted three written applications falsely claiming he received treatment for abdominal lymphoma and forged the signature of a physician to support his letters, in which he cited he required radiation therapy and surgery, according to WSBTV.

The TSA became aware of the false documents after Bess submitted two written documents with the forged signature that were dated months after the unidentified doctor passed away in July 2014.

The former-TSA worker resigned from his job in January, and Bess is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24.

There has to be a special place for someone who would take advantage of the sympathy and generosity of their fellow man in such a way.