A Schenectady, N.Y., man recently pleaded guilty to a felony charge of making false statements to obtain nearly $22,000 in federal workers’ compensation payments by failing to reveal he was working at an auto repair shop.

Richard J. Scepkowski, 48, made the plea in U.S. District Court in Albany, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.

Scepkowski admitted that from September 2004 to August 2009, he received the benefits, following an injury reported during his employment as a safety technician for the Transportation Security Administration at the Albany International Airport on or about July 4, 2004.

To receive the benefits, he completed and filed paperwork with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) that included an indication that he was not employed and had no involvement or ownership in any other business. Scepkowski signed the form above a line warning him about possible penalties for fraudulently concealing such involvement or ownership, authorities said.

Federal prosecutors, however, claimed that between spring 2008 and Aug. 1, 2009, Scepkowski was employed and involved in an auto repair business, formerly known as DiCarlo’s Service Station. In May 2009, federal authorities say he acquired the business, renaming it “QuickServe.”

In court, Scepkowski admitted that he falsely obtained $1,000 per month for a total of $21,897.98 between April 13, 2008 and August 1, 2009.

He faces a maximum sentence of up to five years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine or both, as well as three years of probation following the completion of any prison sentence.

Scepkowski is due back in court for sentencing Sept. 13.