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ATLANTA (AP) — A former TSA officer has pleaded guilty to faking cancer to get paid time off.
Federal prosecutors said Monday that 42-year-old Marc Bess of Atlanta pleaded guilty to theft of government funds and will be sentenced July 24.
Authorities say Bess abused the TSA's voluntary leave transfer program, which allows employees to donate paid time off to colleagues in cases of emergencies. To be eligible for the time off, employees must submit written applications describing the severity of their emergency.
Authorities say Bess, who worked at Atlanta's airport, faked abdominal cancer and forged doctors' notes to get the time off between 2009 and 2014.
Prosecutors say Bess was given roughly 2,240 hours of donated paid time off by other federal employees, totaling about $60,000 in salary and benefits.
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