this is "nightline." >> breaking news. a joyful mother's day weekend event turns tragic. a hot air balloon carrying passengers catches fire. >> in the air on fire still traveling in the air. >> eyewitnesses report people jumping for their lives. what went wrong? we have the latest details on the horrifying accident. >> an undercover investigation into the fraud costing american taxpayers hundreds of millions. she says she can't work. he says he scant mocan't move a. but check out what they're

really up to. until the law caught up and they're busted. >> flipping out these identical twin house flippers were street to star in their own reality tv show, until they say controversy over their beliefs got in the way. >> we don't fight causes we exalt a kingdom whose name is jesus christ. >> announcer: "nightline" will be right back.

good evening. we have breaking news tonight near richmond, virginia, as a mother's day balloon festival turns tragic. three people remain missing after a hot air balloon burst into flames and crashed after drifting into a power line. the dramatic images captured on social media show the passenger basket on fire. witnesses report hearing two explosions and seeing people believed a pilot and two passengers jumping from the balloon. rescue crews are searching for two wreckage sites on the ground, one for the balloon and another for the basket and people on board. hot air balloon teams from all over the country and spectators were planning to take part. the weekend's events all canceled. stay tuned to abc and abc news.com and we'll keep you up to date on the news throughout the night. now we turn to ape very different kind of story,

involving an undercover investigation. the united states gives over $175 billion from social security each year to those on disability. and for certain types of people that means only one thing. money up for grabs. you are about to meet some fraudsters looking for extra cash by milking the system and the investigators out to stop them. here's abc's neil karlinsky for "nightline" investigates. >> reporter: you are watching undercover video, a sting by federal agents. trying to recruit your money from a couple who claim to be so disabled they couldn't work. or in many cases even stand up very long. [ indiscernible ] >> reporter: as if daring some one to come and get them, ramona and coraly put a sign on

themselves, criminal coffee, the place to come when you are on the run. the location, one of the most out of the way corners of the united states, the san juan islands along the canadian border deep in the pacific northwest. >> what were these two like? >> neither one could tell you the truth if their life depended on it. >> reporter: the property manager had suspicions and he didn't know the feds were investigating the two for a disability scam and new customer, joe roger was actually part of an undercover team of agents with a hidden camera. >> here is the turkey. >> great. thank you. >> you almost seemed like buddies, ever feel bad about that? >> not really. that's our job. >> investigators say the couple, are a perfect example of what they face every day. people freeing to bilk social security out of tens of thousands of dollars. claiming to be disabled and

eligible for benefits set aside for those truly in need. >> people are brazen. an element looking for any way to defraud the government. they will do it. >> reporter: just look at some of the claims they checked up on. this man driving off on his motorcycle. investigators tell us he claimed he couldn't drive or even go out alone. and the guy tossing the football, he said he had shoulder problems and needed an electric cart to run errand. this woman lifting the motorized wheelchair claimed she had difficulty with lifting, squatting and bending. all three had their claims denied. every year, social security pays out more than $175 billion to people on disability. but in the last year alone, nearly 72 allegations of fraud were reported to social security's office of the inspector general. >> when people who don't need it are abusing it, i think everybody becomes outraged. >> a big bust of police and

firefighters accused of massive fraud. >> reporter: the most egregious case in the last year allegedly happened in new york where more than 130 people, many of them police officersed are firemen who worked on 9/11 were indicted for allegedly conspireing to defraud the government out of $29.9 million. >> and these numbers onto even include other types of disability fraud. like workman avenue comp. this woman, kathy cash? well was raking in $3,000 a month. claiming a shoulder injury left her unable to stand, run, reach, or grasp. that didn't slow her down on "the price is right." look at her spin the wheel. last year she pleaded guilty to fraud. agents so most people are like criminal coffee. we joined joe rodgers on the way up to the san juan island.

he leads the investigation unit in washington state. the organized csi unit for seeking out disability fraud. >> a table, your favorite spot? >> over there. >> rodgers and fellow investigators, posed as cellular phone company workers. >> good, how are you? >> stopping in during the course of their workday. bail money jar was over here, right? >> right up here, right there. >> weep just recently bought a house. pretty close. >> this is normal behavior. friendly, personable guy. tell you his life story in a minute. and he did several times. >> where are you guys from originally? >> beth were chatawe both were able-bodied. a fair cry from their application for disability payments >> she has writ ten i cannot work, there are days when i can't leave my home. >> cory is on record in her application to support her

claim. >> i doubt today she could work in a retail store on part time base is. >> that's pretty extreme. >> she want cut gas in her car. that's extreme. >> a huge eagle swooped down in front of us. >> she received $42,000 in social security and $15,000 from the state of washington. about $58,000 total. >> cory wasn't receiving disability yet. his application is what helped set off the red flag that brought agents to their door. >> difficulty, lifting, squatting, bending, sitting, stair climbing, seeing, memory, completing tasks, concentration, understanding, using hands. getting along with others. pretty inclusive. >> more than moving around the tapes reveal a pair who couldn't stop talking about themselves. i didn't know who i was dealing with? >> we were out at jackson beach.

cory was like look at the big thing on the tower. >> i'm driving. >> princesses do not walk. >> ramona can't even put gas in a car, let alone drive. as if the coffee shop wasn't enough, investigators say cory walked a full mile to this building end of the pier where he worked a second job at the aquarium. they've found record that he vol unite volunteered and played basketball with the rec league too. >> played basketball, four days, same month he amrid for disability. >> did you ever notice pains or hard time getting around. >> no, they gave me a pain. i don't tell you where. >> reporter: when joe the customer showed his badge and the charges were filed. ramona pleaded guilty to mail fraud. serving 12 months in federal prison.

>> most everything we bake. >> reporter: cory want to trial where the jury found him guilty of conspiracy to defraud the united states and mail fraud. we fried to talk to him while he is awaiting sentencing and filing for an appeal. hello. but he was nowhere how to be found. and his lawyer along with ramona's, decloond to beef interviewed. >> when it all finally came out. what did you make of that. >> about the funniest thing i heard in a while. >> reporter: these small cases add up. totaling $340 million in savings just last year. as for the con artists who might think no one is watching. >> you have of a gents out spying on people right now. >> they should be. >> they should be. >> thank you, good talking to you. i'm neil karlinski. friday harbor, washington. >> why did the twin brothers poised to become reality tv stars, lose their show before it

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when two handsome former athletes who also happen to be identical twin brothers lost their new tv show before they could become reality stars it set off a firestorm of controversy. why? because they say their highly conservative personal beliefs are the reason the network pulled the plug now. a country founded on freedom of religion and freedom of speech faces fundamental question as but what happens when public and private lives collide. >> reporter: in the wild wacky

world of reality television it seems nothing crosses the line. from the jersey shore. >> are you kidding me? >> to beverly hills where the real housewives hang out. dedicated reality fans are used to cat fights, foul language, you better [ bleep ] take that back right now, and loudmouth strong opinions. >> but radio clips like this one from the line of fire with dr. michael brown may hatch cost these would-be reality stars their shot at fame. >> the homosexual agenda is next. we are going to start taking these jents dogiants down we ar afraid. >> david and his brother made a fortune with real estate. on the verge living their dreams with an hgtv series on flipping houses. >> our shou ww was going to be

"flip it forward" we would help individuals or families, wouldn't know how to flip a house we'd teach them to flip a house. >> reporter: it wasn't the reality show, right-wing watch, post aid scathing profile and david protesting at this abortion clinic. >> the church is coming out to the gates of hell. we understand there are all kind of ways to fight this battle. we cannot allow this to be, to not have any witness in front of it. >> their father an outspoken evangelical came under fire. >> they will call that which is evil, homosexuality good. >> the twins say their beliefs cost them the show. hgtv offered this tweet saying they decided not to move forward with the series. >> hgtv, they vetted us, of course had to do a background check, scoured the internet. found a few things. they wanted to know our stand. we met with them in person. got an opportunity to share our

hearts with them. we let them know that we love jesus and we love people. and we love real else state. they knew we would be a great fit for the network. that's where we were. >> media critics argue the turn of eve vepts nts is not surpris. you are free to say whatever you want in this country. that will never change. that also means you will be held responsible for what you say. >> reporter: it has sparked debate. should a reality show's stars, beliefs, controversial ones cost them their show. >> what's happening today in america, folks are creating their own narratives and putting that out as truth. with this article that came out from right-wing watch, the things they said about me put word in my mouth i never said. they're saying statements like god hates muslims and all these others things that is just untrue. unreliable. i can't tell you how many people i have told, all ready, that if those statements are true, then i hate him and i hate myself. and i never said a word.

>> hgtv saw the writing on the wall. they didn't want this to turn into another duck dynasty controversy that seems to go on for days and days and days. they made their position clear. and they will move beyond this. >> as for the twins, they say they plan to finish what they started. >> jason and i are going to finish the project. a thumbs up to hgtv. they are a stand-up comedy. they are helping the final budgets for the construction projects. they're not leaving any one hanging. so, but jason and i are going to help these families flip these houses. >> would we go back if they asked us, of course, why not, we would go back with open arms. i think they would welcome us back. a crazy hashtag on twitter, flip this decision. pretty cool. to see people supporting us. our hearts go out to hgtv. we love those guys. when folks say are you mad at hgtv, upset with what they did? no. >> up next, the unbelievable

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they call him simply the closer. perhaps the best closer in baseball history. and now, the hall of fame shoo-in starts his second career. abc's robin roberts caught up with mariano riviera to find out the incredible story behind the making of a legend. >> a 13-time all-star, five-time world champion and major league baseball's all-time saves and e.r.a. leader. but the greatest closer in major league history grew of in panama with little. he worked on a fishing boat, the captain his father. riviera hoped maybe to go to mechanics school. but fate intervened one day. when he was playing baseball for an adult league. >> you weren't even a pitcher. >> i wasn't supposed to be pitching in that game. i wasn't supposed to pitch

period. >> there is a remarkable story. mariano lays it all out in his mome memoir" the closer." >> you signed for $2,000. >> that's it. >> when he made his way to the u.s. to pursue a dream he didn't even speak english. what was it like getting that call to the big leagues? look at you light up thinking about it again? >> i was jumping in bed. jumping on top of the bed like a little kid. i will never forget that moment. >> and he never looked back. becoming not only a transcendent pitcher and beloved teammate. >> the final game, when you saw them coming out to get you what was going through your mind? >> wow, this is it. hit me like a ton of brick. you know i was strong for the whole year. >> the teammates who had been

his family helping him say good-bye. but his real family waiting at home with open arms. >> and the person that has been with you -- every step of your journey, clara. >> clara. we were in first grade. we grew up together. >> no surprise at all she is by his side for the next chapter of his life. clara is the pastor at the church in new row shell, new york. >> you have gone from saving games to saving souls. hable always be the great mariano riviera, new york yankee extraordinaire, but in his heart he will always be humble servant to help others. >> our thanks to robin roberts and mo, "the closer" in bookstores now. thank you for watching abc news. tune in to "good morning america" for the latest on the hot air balloon accident in virginia. good night, america. have a great weekend.