TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man has pleaded guilty to impersonating a U.S. senator to avoid paying off his home loan.
A U.S. Attorney’s Office news release says 67-year-old Sidney Hines pleaded guilty Tuesday in Tampa federal court. He faces up to three years in prison.
Court papers say Hines secured a HomeSaver Advance loan of $5,864 for his New Port Richey home in October 2008. Hines reportedly failed to make the payments.
Officials say Hines called a collection agency five times between March 2013 and December 2014. He claimed to be U.S. Sen. Richard “Dick” Durbin and said Hines’ HSA loan had been paid in full and that the loan should be removed from his credit report.
Durbin has represented Illinois in the U.S. Senate since 1997.
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