MORRISTOWN, Tenn. — A Morristown man whose name mirrors that of legendary New York Yankees slugger Babe Ruth has been indicted on federal charges in a mail fraud scheme that prosecutors say exploited the names of deceased and retired professional baseball players.

George Herman Ruth, 69, faces counts of mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, money laundering, and firearms violations. Prosecutors allege that between January 2023 and July 2025, he used stolen Social Security numbers and the identities of former players to file fraudulent class-action claims worth more than $550,000.

Ruth made his first appearance last week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cynthia R. Wyrick and remains in custody pending trial, set for Jan. 27, 2026, in Greeneville. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison plus a mandatory two-year sentence for identity theft.

Authorities stressed that an indictment is only a charge and that Ruth is presumed innocent until proven guilty.