Kansas farmer pleads guilty to crop insurance, bankruptcy fraud

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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Prosecutors say they plan to seek more than $2.1 million in restitution from a Kansas farmer who pleaded guilty to crop insurance and bankruptcy fraud.

The Wichita Eagle reports that Kevin Struss, of rural WaKeeney, entered the guilty plea Monday in federal court. Struss admitted in the plea that he underreported the total bushels of corn and milo that he harvested as part of a scheme to fraudulently collect crop insurance benefits. The crop insurance fraud charge stems from false reports in 2015, although prosecutors say the false reports continued in 2016 and 2017.

Struss also admitted that when he filed for bankruptcy in April 2018, he lied about transferring $470,000 to someone three months earlier.

Sentencing is set for Jan. 15.