OPERATION STOLEN VALOR

[kiwi]

Jesse Adam Macbeth: Despite never making it out of basic training, Macbeth sought medical benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, claiming he suffered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from his service as an Army Ranger in both Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. He also claimed he had been awarded a Purple Heart. Macbeth pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five months in prison, four of which he has already served, three months in a halfway house and three years probation on Friday.
(U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General)

[kiwi]

Michael David Heit: For four months, Heit deceived the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Spokane, Wash., claiming he suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He claimed he was a Vietnam veteran who had been a prisoner of war for more than three years and had received mutiple medals, including a Purple Heart, Silver Star and Bronze Star. He actually never served in Vietnam, was never a POW and had never been awarded those medals of valor. He pleaded guilty on Thursday and is scheduled for sentencing in December.
(U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General)

[kiwi]

Merrick Kelly Hersey: Currently a fugitive from the law, Hersey never served in the military. According to his indictment, that didn't stop him from claiming to have been awarded two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star and seeking veteran benefits for a feigned case of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
(U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General)

[kiwi]

Larry Lewis Porter: After pleading guilty to bilking the Department of Veterans Affairs out of $134,000 and the Social Security Administration out of $40,000, Porter was sentenced to 37 months in prison and ordered to pay $178,911 in restitution. Although he did serve in the Navy for 15 months, Porter admitted in his plea agreement that he never experienced any of the tragic events he claimed caused him to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Porter also confessed he used that feigned case of PTSD to procure benefit payments from the VA.
(U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General)

[kiwi]

Roy John Scott: Over the course of seven years, Scott received $21,960 in medical benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. He claimed he had served in the Marine Corps in Korea, where he was wounded and awarded medals of valor. In fact, Scott never served outside the United States, never earned the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and Combat Action Ribbon he said he did and was actually court martialed and dishonorably discharged from the military. Scott pleaded guilty and faces up to one year and six months in jail and $105,000 dollars in fines. As part of his plea agreement, Scott will pay $21,960 in restitution.
(U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General)

[kiwi]

Elven Joseph Swisher: According to his indictment, Swisher claimed he suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from his alleged combat experience, defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs out of more than $95,000, a figure calculated by the VA. He also claimed he had been awarded the Purple Heart, Silver Star, Navy and Marine Corps Medal and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the indictment says. Swisher pleaded not guilty, and a pretrial conference is slated for Oct. 4, 2007.
(U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General)

[kiwi]

Reggie Lee Buddle: A real Army vet, Buddle claimed he had served and earned the rank of captain in the United States Marine Corps. He also boasted a chestful of medals, including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Vietnam Service Medal and the United States Marine Corps Gold Jump Wings. Buddle also claimed to be a Marine Corps chaplain, officiating over weddings, baptisms and funerals. In fact, Buddle was never in the Marine Corps, never earned those medals and wasn't a chaplain. He pleaded guilty in April and was sentenced to 500 hours of community service.
(U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General)

[kiwi]

Carlos Riosvalle: Claiming he had been "shot down while a pilot during WWII", Riosvalle bilked the Department of Veterans Affairs out of $22,818 in benefits. He also claimed he had served in the well-known "American Volunteer Group" in China and had been awarded medals of valor. In fact, Riosvalle is a resident alien who has never served in the military -- ever. He was sentenced to four days in jail and ordered to pay $28,910 in restitution. Riosvalle is now in the custody of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Washington state.



Source for all the above http://www.abcnews.go.com/Blotter/popup?id=3631779&contentIndex=1&page=1

[benzilla]

wow!

[kiwi]

This only a tiny amount of them out there and what they pull.

[Observer_1938]

I can never understand why people try and pretend they are something other than themselves.