URGENT UPDATE: A Tennessee man named after baseball icon Babe Ruth has been charged with a sweeping fraud scheme that allegedly exploited the names of hundreds of deceased professional baseball players. George Herman Ruth, 69, from Morristown, Tennessee, is facing 91 counts in an indictment issued by the U.S. District Court in Greeneville, Tennessee, on August 12, 2023.
Authorities report that Ruth is accused of committing mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, and other serious offenses aimed at siphoning off over $550,000 through fraudulent class action settlement claims. The alarming details of the indictment reveal that Ruth opened multiple P.O. boxes across Tennessee, where he allegedly submitted hundreds of bogus claim forms using the names of retired or deceased players, including those from defunct teams like the Philadelphia Athletics and the St. Louis Browns.
Prosecutors allege that Ruth’s fraudulent activities included claims related to various lawsuits, from contact lens pricing disputes to allegations of racial discrimination against staffing agencies. The indictment specifies that Ruth utilized the Social Security numbers of unwitting victims, further compounding the severity of his alleged crimes.
This case escalates in urgency as Ruth’s previous legal troubles come to light. He has a history of fraud, having previously pleaded guilty to a scheme involving Social Security fraud in an Indiana federal court. He was sentenced to prison in 2020 and was on probation from October 2023 until July 2025 when these new charges emerged.
A public defender representing Ruth has declined to comment on the ongoing case, leaving many questions unanswered. The implications of this case are significant, not only for the victims involved but also for the integrity of class action settlements across the nation.
As this story unfolds, the community is urged to stay informed about the developments in the investigation. Authorities are continuing to seek justice for those impacted by Ruth’s alleged fraudulent activities.
Stay tuned for more updates as this case progresses through the legal system. The urgency of these charges highlights a troubling trend in financial crimes targeting vulnerable individuals.
