• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, August 26, 2025
Front Office Sports Honors winners are here! View the 2025 winners
Law

Man With Babe Ruth’s Name Charged With MLB Identity Thefts

George Herman Ruth used the names and Social Security numbers of hundreds of MLB players to claim payments from class-action lawsuits, federal prosecutors say.

Babe Ruth
Detroit Free Press

George Herman Ruth will get to call his shot in court. 

Federal authorities charged a 69-year-old Tennessee resident with the same name as Babe Ruth with mail fraud, identity theft, and 91 total charges on Aug. 12, alleging he used the names of hundreds of deceased or former MLB players to make false claims for payouts in class action lawsuits. 

The counts include aggravated identity theft, fraudulent use of Social Security numbers, mail fraud, money laundering, making false statements to his probation officer, and possession of firearms after previous convictions. 

Ruth previously pled guilty in Indiana federal court to a scheme to commit Social Security fraud and was sentenced to prison in 2020. He was on probation from October 2023 to July 2025. 

Authorities allege from January 2023 to July 2025, Ruth ran a nationwide scheme where he submitted hundreds of fraudulent claims for class-action lawsuit payments using the names and Social Security numbers of former MLB players. 

The indictment does not name the players whose identities were stolen, but lists the teams several played for. Some of the players were dead and had played for old teams like the Brooklyn Superbas, Kansas City Packers, and Chicago Colts among others while others were living players who had played for organizations including the Padres, Orioles, and Mets.

To pull off the hoax, Ruth opened multiple post office boxes around Tennessee and created a fake LLC to launder more than a half-million dollars through, the indictment alleges. 

Ruth is facing up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. The case is set to go to trial on January 27, 2026.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

MLB Unveils 2026 Schedule As Big Changes Loom Soon After

Next year’s slate could be among the last in the current format.

6 Burning Questions About Reimagined MLB Rights Deals

MLB’s rights are changing significantly, but questions still remain.

Netflix to Stream Entire 2026 World Baseball Classic in Japan

Netflix picks up Japanese rights to the upcoming international tournament.

MLB Revives Field of Dreams Game After Big Early TV Ratings

The league is finalizing plans to return to the famed movie’s filming site.

Featured Today

‘You’re Going to Get Beat Up’: The Liberty’s All-Male Practice Squad

A select group suits up weekly to take on the defending champs.
August 24, 2025

The Honey Deuce Effect: How Tennis Perfected the Signature Cocktail

Sold every 1.5 seconds, they total more than $12 million in sales.
Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up as the Texas Longhorns prepare to play the Clemson Tigers in the first round of the College Football Playoffs at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium.
August 23, 2025

Schools Are Hesitant to Allow PE Into Their Athletic Departments

Regardless of budget, schools don’t believe the risk is worth the reward.
Oct 2, 2024; Rosemont, IL, USA; Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti speaks with the media during the 2024 Big Ten Women’s Basketball media day at Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.
August 22, 2025

‘Not Ready to Jump In’: Power 4 Commissioners Aren’t Sold on PE

Top leaders in college sports have yet to see a satisfactory proposal.
Miami Heat logo

Former Heat Security Guard Pleads Guilty to Stealing Team Memorabilia

Prosecutors say he stole game-worn jerseys and sold them online for millions.
Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium.
August 14, 2025

Brian Flores Discrimination Suit Against NFL Can Go to Trial, Court Says

An appeals court ruled the NFL cannot compel Flores into arbitration.
Jun 11, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA;A NCAA logo flag at the NCAA Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field.
August 15, 2025

Transgender Runner Sues Swarthmore, NCAA Over Ban

The suit says state and federal law supercede the NCAA’s transgender policy.
Sponsored

Building A Pro League From Scratch

Front Office Sports and Gainbridge® spotlight what it takes to build a professional women’s soccer league.
Feb 14, 2025; Oakland, California, USA; Denver Nuggets mascot Rocky the Mountain Lion gestures in front of Terrell Owens (81) of Team Rice during the celebrity game ahead of the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Oakland Arena.
August 14, 2025

Former Nuggets Mascot Sues Team for Wrongful Termination

Drake Solomon says he returned from hip surgery to a “hostile work environment.”
Jan 11, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) passes the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC wild card game at M&T Bank Stadium.
August 13, 2025

Lamar Jackson Drops No. 8 Fight Against Troy Aikman

He filed a complaint with the USPTO in July 2024 against Aikman.
Shohei Ohtani
August 12, 2025

Shohei Ohtani, Agent Accused of Tanking $240 Million Hawaii Real Estate Deal

Ohtani had agreed to promote a luxury housing project.
Jon Gruden
August 11, 2025

Jon Gruden Wins Fight With NFL Over Email Leak Arbitration

Gruden wants his fight against the NFL to play out in court.