In one of the most shocking and despicable stories imaginable, a Transportation Security Administration officer was arrested earlier this week after it was discovered that he had allegedly faked having cancer for five years in order to get out of work.

According to WSBTV.com in Atlanta, officials are accusing security officer Marc Bess of forging doctor’s notes in relation to the abdominal lymphoma he informed his employer he was diagnosed with in 2009.

Authorities claim Bess forged notes authorizing days off in order to receive radiation, surgery and ongoing treatments he needed for cancer. Luckily, TSA eventually caught on to the scheme when it was discovered the doctor whose signature Bess was falsely replicating had passed away.

A TSA spokeswoman issued a statement to WSBTV.com. “TSA policy is to question any uncertain medical documents. TSA initiated this investigation. The individual is no longer employed by the federal government.”

Over the five-year period in which the ruse allegedly took place, Bess is accused of taking off about 280 days (2,240 hours) of sick leave.

As if milking the system wasn’t bad enough, WSBTV.com is reporting the majority of the paid time off was transferred to him via TSA’s Voluntary Leave Transfer Program, a system where other employees transfer their paid days off to others.

Bess was arrested earlier this week, but was released on bond. He is due in court May 11 to file a plea to charges of embezzling public money.

Follow @Donald_Wood