How the ---- does this happen?

[Berta]

"Man Who Lied About Combat Service for Second Time Sentenced to Federal Prison

Charleston, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Keith R. Hudson, 71, of Charleston, South Carolina, was sentenced to six months in federal prison and six months of home confinement for receiving $197,237 in benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) after falsely claiming to be a veteran.

Evidence presented to the court showed that Hudson falsely claimed that he was entitled to VA benefits because he was a veteran who had been in combat in Vietnam.  He even went so far as to claim that he had received two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star.

Hudson has committed the same crime in the past.  In 2005, he was prosecuted in Connecticut for the falsely claiming to be a veteran in order to claim VA benefits.  He was placed in pretrial diversion.  He moved to Charleston, South Carolina, and in 2012 he applied to the VA in Charleston for benefits.  He used the same falsified form from the Department of Defense, (a DD-214, “Report of Separation from Active Duty”) and claimed that he was in the Navy and saw combat as a medic, suffering wounds and other trauma.  He claimed that he served from August 1, 1967, through October 31, 1971.

This was all a fraud.  Hudson was never in the military.  He never served in the United States Navy, nor did he ever see combat in Vietnam.

Hudson asked for a probationary sentence, claiming poor health and noting his age, previous bypass surgeries, and cancer.  United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel denied Hudson’s motion for probation and instead sentenced him to 1 year of confinement, in a split sentence.  Six months of the confinement is to be served in federal prison, and six months is to be served as home confinement.  Hudson was also ordered to pay $297,237 in restitution."

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/man-who-lied-about-combat-service-second-time-sentenced-federal-prison

(Honorable vets have to PROVE everything and this guy gets away with a falsified DD 214 to get comp. Sometimes I think I have seen it all- but I never saw a vet trying to mislead VA Twice!) My comment.

More

 

"U.S. Attorney Lydon emphasized the importance of this case for our country and for our community.  “This is an egregious crime,” she said.  “This Defendant trampled on the memory of those who have bravely served our country and suffered harm protecting us.  Hudson not only stole from the taxpayers by taking benefits he did not earn, he also stole directly from veterans who served our nation and protected our freedom.  Every minute of time he spent with a VA doctor or a staff member is a minute he stole from a real veteran.  He took resources that the VA just cannot afford to spare.  We are grateful to the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General for their investigative work on this case.”

Kim Lampkins, the Special Agent in Charge for the Veterans Administration Office of Investigations Criminal Investigations Division, said, "Those who defraud the VA harm all veterans.  VA benefits are intended solely for those who have protected this nation’s freedoms. We investigate individuals who commit fraud against the VA and are dedicated to defending veterans who genuinely earned our support."

The case against Hudson was investigated by the VA Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean Kittrell of the Charleston office."

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Edited November 26, 2018 by Berta

[Buck52]

He could have made a deal with the rater?  thats what it sounds like a dishonest rater.....remember a few years ago a rater made a deal on a large amount of retro at some R.O.  THEY APPROVED THIS VETERANS CLAIM WITH HUNDRED THOUSANDS DOLLARS INVOLVED AND THE RATER GOT PART OF THE RETRO  ALL OF THIS WAS FRAUD...THEY GOT CAUGHT AND WAS GIVEN A MUCH LONGER SENTENCE THAT THIS GUY.

i CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT RO I think it was WACO TX R.O.

[paulstrgn]

A dishonest person can always find a way to beat the system. Just like you said Ms. Berta, by buying an old typewriter and now computers allow you to alter so many documents. But I assumed that the VA always verified that the person is a vet, I guess I assumed wrong. 

[Buck52]

It could have been they just look at all the records that showed he was military and what he was claiming  he must have had fake medical records too  that's all obviousl and the VA people like raters just to it as honest facts and approved him right off the bat

ON THE HADIT PODCAST RADIO SHOW SOME TIME BACK  THE guest was Dr C  Bash a veterans medica adviser and his partner/friend a retired senior VA Rater  he mention that the Raters have a time limit and a claim frame they have to go by  they have a certain amount of claims they have to make decision on and a time limit , so if they are way behind schedule they some times make the wrong decisions or just don't read into everything  they get to a part where the medical evidence is favorable to the veteran   then they just approve the claim and send it on to the next rater to look at and so on.

I mean if you have all the medical records and the correct claim forms in front of you  I guess they don't have to verify the veteran is a veteran  they just assume he is a veteran and don't even think about fraud being committed   ....jmo

[paulstrgn]

That is the problem, they are on a production schedule on how much to complete and if all the paperwork in front of the rater has all the right boxes checked and all the right medical files (dishonest people certainly know what is needed and how to submit it) they are probably approved. Dishonest people will always find away to beat the system.

[Buck52]

It was a former VA Employee Female VSR. From Waco R.O.

This was back in Jan 2015

http://www.kxxv.com/story/27908509/former-va-employee-to-serve-prison-time-for-fraud

Edited November 27, 2018 by Buck52

[vetquest]

There is no oversight of veterans department employees.  They almost have to commit a crime before they are fired and some of them treat veterans pretty lousy.