Longtime boxing judge Smith faces fraud charge

Longtime Nevada boxing judge Paul Smith is about to go before a judge himself.

Smith, a former Las Vegas chiropractor who has been judging boxing matches in Nevada for nearly 30 years, has been charged with one count of fraud after being accused of allegedly unlawfully collecting approximately $250,000 in Social Security disability benefits. The charge was returned by the federal Grand Jury on Tuesday.

Smith, 65, is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas for arraignment June 12. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

"I'm not aware of this," Smith said Wednesday. "I did meet with the inspector general about a year ago, but my judging fights has nothing to do with my disability.

"When I got Social Security, I had to notify Social Security of any changes, and nothing has changed. I've been judging fights since 1980."

Smith's attorney, Alan Buttell, said Wednesday he had not been notified of his client's situation.

"I haven't heard anything, and therefore I have no comment at this time," Buttell said.

The indictment alleges that from September 1994 to December 2005 Smith fraudulently failed to notify the Social Security Administration that he had been working as a licensed boxing judge in Nevada and that he was involved with various businesses in a capacity inconsistent with his status as a disability benefits recipient.

Had Smith disclosed those events to the SSA as he was required to do by law, he would not have been authorized to receive disability insurance benefits.

Smith has had back problems over the years, and on Dec. 8 he had open heart surgery. He last judged a fight May 2, working the Humberto Soto-Benoit Gaudet WBC featherweight title fight.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.