Va Worker, 13 Others Charged In Fraud Scheme

[allan]

VA worker, 13 others charged in fraud scheme

By Brett Barrouquere - The Associated Press

Posted : Thursday Nov 20, 2008 16:37:08 ESThttp://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/11/ap_v...dscheme_112008/LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Veterans Administration employee and 13 other people have been charged with conspiring to steal nearly $2 million in disability claims.

Veterans Affairs service representative Jeffrey Allan McGill and Daniel Ryan Parker, a veteran and officer with the Disabled American Veterans, were among the 14 charged Wednesday by a federal grand jury with conspiring to defraud the U.S. of $1.9 million through the submission of false veterans disability claims to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The indictment outlines an alleged scheme for veterans to falsely claim to have suffered from bipolar disorder, hearing loss, frostbite, back injuries and other ailments and disabilities.

The indictment says veterans received lump-sum payments for back pay and then kick backed as much as two-thirds of it to Parker and McGill.

“They’re all veterans,” U.S. Attorney David Huber said at a news conference Thursday. “That’s what’s sad about all of this.”

Parker, 37, of Crestwood, is free on $25,000 bond. He is also charged with stealing $47,000 from Disabled American Veterans. His attorney, Brian Butler of Louisville, said his client plans to plead not guilty.

“We’ve been aware of the investigation for months and have cooperated with investigators,” Butler said.

A phone message left for McGill, 37, was not immediately returned Thursday morning.

Huber said the remaining defendants, who live in Kentucky, Illinois and West Virginia, would voluntarily surrender at arraignment on Dec. 16 in Louisville.

Huber said Parker and McGill received between $500,000 and $600,000 in kickbacks, with the rest of the stolen money being split among the participants.

According to the indictment, starting in 2003 and continuing until this month, Parker and McGill recruited friends, relatives and acquaintances who were military veterans to file fraudulent claims with the VA.

Parker and McGill then allegedly either altered the veterans’ medical records, or created counterfeit medical records, to give the appearance that the veterans had service related disabilities.

That resulted in the veterans receiving 100 percent disability for problems such as depression or cancer due to Agent Orange exposure during combat in Vietnam, according to the indictment.

Huber said the case came to light after a tip from a confidential source. He declined to discuss how the source knew about the alleged plot.

“But for that confidential source, this case may not have been known for some time, if at all,” Huber said.

Michael Keen, the resident agent in charge for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Louisville, said the scheme could hurt veterans who needed the funds allegedly purloined.

“Obviously, the Department of Veterans Affairs doesn’t have a bottomless pit of money,” Keen said.

Huber said prosecutors will try to recoup the money taken during the scheme.

"Keep on, Keepin' on"

Dan Cedusky, Champaign IL "Colonel Dan"

See my web site at:

http://www.angelfire.com/il2/VeteranIssues/

[john999]

Things like this have been going on for years. How many dead vets have been resurrected so that some VA employee can collect a check?

[yoggie2]

Dag gone Jbasser, no wonder you was granted 100%,LOL.. I wonder if Indy is making any deals,LoL,What in the world is going on down there...

[jbasser]

Anytime there is money involved. From a disability system to a Fishing tournament, someone is going to figure out a way to illegaly obtain it. I bet there are more cases in the future.

J

[Pete53]

Jim:

The Dallas VA does not advertise it but they have rooms in the Hospital for stay overs and even spouses. I am not sure who you ask but maybe try the Patient Advocate or Socil Worker. Did you know that every Veteran has an assigned Social Worker

[bob_abad]

To my fellow warriors,

I am just so disgusted after reading the report below about this VA fraud scheme, and I am quite sure there are more of this going on from diff. VARO based sites across the nation including Guam, Hawaii, and Alaska turf.

This is one of my personal reason why I never used the Veteran Service Organizations for claims. I didn't have a comfort level since initial contact/meeting. Don't do this, do not do that, and perhaps we should do this?. My heart though is with Vietnam Veterans of America(VVA) and American Legion.

I decided instead to work directly with my VARO-Oakland from the initial AO claim, NOD, and Reopen Claim. Bottom line, if you are decent with them, they are okay with you.

Most likely, there are now greedy dudes or dudettes out there connecting w/ @Iraq & Afghan vets, if they are interested to get some or more $$ from VA w/ a catch of course...

Sorry, just wanted to get this off my chest about these frauds, corruptions, etc..

I am forwarding this news to CNN, FOX, and @Obama's attention.

[pattrick]

More than likely Federal Prison time for them, which is well deserved!