Feb. 8. Uncle Sam doesn’t want you to cheat on worker’s compensation, let alone flaunt it on Facebook. Johnnie Franklin Sullivan Sr., of Mooresville, has pleaded guilty to workers’ compensation fraud for a job-connected injury after he got caught having a ball on social media.

While employed by the US Postal Service as a mail processing clerk he was injured at work and began receiving workers’ compensation benefits administered by the US Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) for employees covered by the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA).

Over the years Sullivan got more than $100,000 in compensation, saying he couldn’t sit for very long without considerable pain.

Thing is he was posting on social media photos of multiple long-distance trips and physically rigorous activities, including European vacations, ziplining in Niagara Falls and using surf boards and boogie boards on beach vacations.

“For years, Sullivan Sr. lied about his pain and suffering caused by an on-the-job injury to bilk the federal workers’ compensation program out of thousands of dollars, and used the funds to pay for recreational activities,” said US Attorney Dena King.

Sullivan Sr. has pleaded guilty to making a false report in connection with federal compensation benefits and theft of government funds. He was released on bond after the court hearing. A sentencing date has not been set.