Media Coverage OCTOBER 2009
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Oct. 30, 2009
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
STOLEN VALOR ACT: Purple
Heart claim challenged
VA employee also accused
of taking $180,000 in benefits
By CARRI GEER THEVENOT and KEITH
ROGERS
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
A Veterans Affairs employee from Las Vegas was indicted
this week in a case of stolen valor and stolen benefits.
The case against David M. Perelman, who claimed to have
received a Purple Heart medal, is the first known
prosecution in Nevada under the Stolen Valor Act of 2005,
which outlawed false claims of military honor. According to
the indictment, Perelman claimed he had been wounded in
combat in Vietnam, when in fact he had been wounded by a
self-inflicted gunshot in 1991.
"The Purple Heart is a symbol of heroism,
patriotism, honor, and symbolic of one's sacrifice and duty
to our country," said Daniel Bogden, the U.S. attorney
for Nevada. "Those who seek to diminish the sacrifice
of others by wearing the Purple Heart when not authorized to
do so will be vigorously prosecuted. Federal law calls for
imprisonment for up to one year for wearing the Purple Heart
when not authorized by law."
Perelman also is accused of stealing about $180,000 in
monthly disability benefits from the Veterans
Administration, now known as Veterans Affairs, from 1995
until July 2009. He is 56.
Attempts to reach Perelman for comment Thursday were
unsuccessful. He faces two charges: theft of government
property, a felony, and the unauthorized wearing of a
military medal, a misdemeanor.
"I'm glad that finally Mr. Bogden is going to
prosecute a stolen valor case," said retired Army Lt.
Col. Bill Anton, president of Special Forces Association
Chapter 51. "Veterans are happy that he is finally
addressing this, and we support him totally."
Anton spent a year trying to persuade Bogden to pursue a
stolen valor case against another veteran, Jacob Cruze.
In e-mails to the Review-Journal in 2006, Bogden
confirmed that his criminal chief had reviewed the Cruze
matter and determined it was appropriately handled by Las
Vegas police, "who cited Cruze for unlawfully using
specialized veteran vehicle license plates and confiscated
all improper medals, uniforms and indicia."
Bogden also wrote, "Considering our limited
resources and manning we did not feel that additional
misdemeanor charges ... were necessary since the matter had
already been addressed by local authorities."
But Anton, a disabled Vietnam War veteran, said federal
charges are needed to deter phony war heroes.
According to the indictment against Perelman, he falsely
represented to the Veterans Administration that he
legitimately had been awarded a Purple Heart when he knew he
had fraudulently obtained the award by representing that he
had been wounded in combat in Vietnam.
Perelman also knew, according to the indictment,
"that he had been wounded by a self-inflicted gunshot
in 1991, long after he had been discharged from the
military, and that he had not served in combat in
Vietnam."
The document accuses Perelman of wearing the Purple Heart
without authorization in August 2008.
John Bright, director of the Veterans Affairs Southern
Nevada Healthcare System, said he was "stunned as
anybody else" to learn of the allegations of Perelman's
false claims after a Veterans Affairs inspector general's
investigation.
"He's been a pretty decent employee," Bright
said Thursday. "We haven't had any problems with him.
Of course he's not going to work for us any more."
Bright said the VA hired Perelman as a clerk about three
years ago after he had worked as a volunteer for the agency.
Perelman sought employment saying that he was a disabled
veteran, and he was cleared for hiring following a
background check.
"There was no way for us to have known," Bright
said.
He said Perelman has submitted his resignation; his last
day in the VA job will be next week.
As for the indictment's allegation that Perelman
embezzled $180,000 in VA disability benefits, Bright said,
"It's appalling. Apparently there are a lot of folks
out there doing this type of stuff."
Records from the Military Order of the Purple Heart list
Perelman as the organization's Nevada commander in late
2008.
He is the second former local official of the order to
have questions surface about lying about military service.
Last year, Irving Joseph Schwartz, who had been a
national service officer and past commander of the
organization's Chapter 711 in Las Vegas, admitted to former
Rep. Jon Porter's staff that he had fabricated his role in
World War II after his claims for valor medals had stood
without question for most of his life.
Porter had intended to name a post office after Schwartz
until the Review-Journal raised questions about his military
records.
Schwartz died in July.
John Bircher, national spokesman for the Military Order
of the Purple Heart, noted that Perelman hasn't been found
guilty yet.
If he is found guilty, his membership with the
organization will be revoked, Bircher said.
"The Military Order of the Purple Heart feels
strongly about the Stolen Valor Act, especially regarding
those who falsely wear a Purple Heart," he said.
A Web site for the Air Force's 8th Aerial Port Squadron
during the Vietnam War profiles Perelman's 1971 tour with
photographs and a Purple Heart citation.
A summons has been issued for Perelman, who was indicted
Wednesday. He is scheduled to make his initial court
appearance on Nov. 13 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence
Leavitt.
Anton said he has encountered Perelman several times over
the past three years and knew him as a Purple Heart
recipient who had served in the Air Force in Vietnam.
Perelman said he had been wounded by shrapnel during a
rocket attack in Vietnam, said Anton, who was not surprised
to hear about the criminal allegations.
"I didn't think the guy was real," Anton said.
He said most veterans have honor and integrity.
"That's something that's truly lacking in this
country."
Contact reporter Carri Geer Thevenot at cgeer@reviewjournal.com
or 702-384-8710. Contact Keith Rogers at krogers@
reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0308.
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Oct 30, 2009 12:03 am US/Pacific
Romance Fraudster Steals Military Hero's Identity
SAN FRANCISCO
(CBS 5)
If you decide to try an online dating site, here's a question: How do
you know the person you're talking to, is real? And how would you feel
if the person you shared your private thoughts with turned out to be a
con man?
Stephanie Wilson signed up for a dating website three years after losing
her husband. "I decided it's time for me to move forward," she
said. She was looking for love. "They have a photo gallery where
you can search," she said.
And that's where this military veteran found someone she thought might
be a soul mate, a fellow soldier, Sergeant 1st Class John Adams.
"It said he was in Afghanistan," Wilson said.
He wrote her from his post overseas, telling her that, like her, he'd
lost his spouse, his wife. "Here is someone that has gone through
the same thing that I have gone through." Their online relationship
progressed quickly: "He started telling me that he was falling in
love with me," she said, calling her "darling" and
"baby."
But then, he asked her to send him something, something expensive: A
satellite phone. Price tag? A thousand dollars. And that's when she
realized: "He was trying to work me."
So who is Sergeant 1st Class Adams? Turns out, he is not your ordinary
military man, he is a hero. The army awarded him the bronze star for
valor in Iraq.
They even made a movie out of his achievements, showing in this
re-enactment how he took enemy fire while preventing the setting of
roadside bombs south of Baghdad, potentially saving hundreds of American
troops in the process.
Those real events, all featured on the United States Army's gaming
website, called "America's Army", where Adams even gets a bit
of the celebrity treatment: His own action figure. But there's just one
problem: Adams isn't on duty in Afghanistan. These days, he's a
recruiter who lives just outside Indianapolis, Indiana. And he isn't a
widower. He's married, with a young daughter.
Something Stephanie Wilson discovered when she found his family photos
on that website. "He looked very happily married. I got really
angry," Wilson said. But guess what? Adams isn't happy, either.
Adams is a hero, but he never went on those dating websites. His
identity was stolen, from the America's Army website. And his reaction?
"Confused, angry, I'm like the normal person you don't think its
going to happen to you," Adams said.
So how does it happen? "It's a classic example of the romance
fraud," said Detective Josh McFall with the REACT High Tech Crimes
Taskforce. McFall said con men are now hiding on internet dating sites.
"They are creating these false profiles and they are making
connections with victims, luring them into this false sense of security.
And once they have got the victim really hooked, they will ask the
victim to send them money for a variety of purposes," he said.
McFall said many of those victims are women. "They're just playing
to the victim's innermost desires." And the con man who stole
Sergeant Adams' identity? "He certainly knows what he is
doing," McFall said.
In fact the con man is still pretending to be Adams, on the social
networking site Tagged, messaging a woman in Austria. She didn't want
her name used out of concern for her safety, but spoke to CBS 5
Investigates via Skype. "He want to know me much better," she
said.
But in her case, he picked the wrong victim. She runs an anti-scam blog
in Germany and made this scam public. "I saved his profile and
posted it on our anti-scam forum in Germany," she said.
Detective McFall said that may be the only solution, because
"romance fraudsters" operating from foreign countries are
nearly impossible to catch. "As soon as I find that a search
warrant takes me out of the country, it's pretty much closed," he
said.
A point that frustrates real Army hero Adams: "You grit your teeth
and you want to meet them face to face," he said.
And victims such as Stephanie Wilson: "I think its really terrible.
I wish I could find him and put an end to it, but I can't."
CBS 5 Investigates also found out, two other soldiers featured as heroes
on the America's Army site had their identities stolen as well. The
United States Army says it's investigating.
As for the dating sites, they commonly tell visitors they can't conduct
background checks on people who sign up.
Statement from America's Army:
"We are extremely saddened that someone would misuse information
about
heroic Soldiers. This is a legal matter that has been referred to the
appropriate authorities."
Statement from Tagged.com:
"With hundreds of millions of people worldwide using social
networking sites — 80 million of them registered on Tagged — it's
not just a possibility but a fact that some users will post dishonest
information about themselves. We monitor our website daily to review and
remove offending profiles. When people behave unethically on our
website, community vigilance often alerts us to the problem. Every
profile has a "report" link, and members can contact customer
service through our help site."
Tips to Avoid Internet Fraud from the REACT High Tech Crimes
Taskforce
http://www.reacttf.org/press_releases/2005_pr/20050811.htm
Internet fraud is more pervasive than ever. These frauds are easy for
criminals to perpetuate and very profitable. Often scammers will
perpetrate their fraud across a very wide geographical area, which often
makes the case impractical – at best – for law enforcement to
investigate. At worst, the case becomes impossible because the suspect
resides overseas or has successfully covered their online tracks.
While no set of tips or guidelines can completely insulate you from
becoming a victim of fraud, these simple tips will help protect you from
many of the common internet scams.
1. If the deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Whether it is
an online investment with a higher-than-average advertised rate of
return or steeply discounted merchandise, be wary of any deal that is
significantly better than the competition.
2. Scammers will frequently send you a check for hundreds or thousands
of dollars more than required and ask you to send them the difference.
The check or money order you receive will almost always be fake, and the
bank will hold you responsible when the fake is eventually discovered.
3. Never give out your financial information to any unreputable source
that you do not personally know and trust. This includes bank account
number, social security number, PayPal account information, or bank
website log in. Transact business via the internet only with trusted
merchants.
4. Never wire funds via Western Union, Moneygram, or other wire service
unless you personally know and trust the recipient. Once you have wired
funds they are gone for good, and it is usually difficult or impossible
to identify the true recipient.
5. Deal locally, whenever possible. Most scammers will refuse to meet
face to face because they are "travelling," "ill,"
or "deployed in the Armed Forces."
6. Donate money or merchandise only to well-known veteran's groups or
those who have been active for some time in your community, such as the
Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, or local military family
support group.
7. Many online escrow services are fraudulent. Do not agree to any
online escrow service unless it is operated by a well-known financial
institution, preferably one with a number of brick-and-mortar branches
that you could visit to conduct business in person.
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LANSING – Sen. Randy Richardville introduced legislation
Wednesday aimed at honoring veterans by establishing and increasing
current penalties for those who act dishonorably toward the men and
women who serve our country.
“Unfortunately, there have been cases in Michigan and across
the nation where veterans have not received the respect that they
deserve,” said Richardville, R-Monroe. “This legislation will
serve as a deterrent to anyone who tries to dishonor the service of
our nation’s brave soldiers.”
Senate Bill 949 increases the penalties for destroying war
monuments. If convicted, a vandal could face a fine and community
service in a veterans’ home or service organization.
Richardville said he sponsored this legislation after Monroe
County’s “War on Terror” memorial was vandalized. A mother
whose son fought in that war discovered the damage when she visited
the memorial. She contacted the local police, only to discover that
the current punishment to vandals is a slap on the wrist.
“War monuments and memorials are created to honor the actions
of our country’s courageous men and women who serve or have served
in the military,” Richardville said. “Families and friends seek
comfort from them.”
Richardville also introduced Senate Bill 950, the “Stolen Valor
Law,” to establish penalties for those who falsely claim to be a
veteran or member of the military or those who misrepresent their
military service for financial or personal gain. The penalties for
this crime also include a fine, community service to veterans and/or
imprisonment.
“The community service penalty will allow individuals who
commit these despicable acts to meet the very men and women they
have dishonored,” said Richardville.
Sheilah Larnhart, a Gulf War Veteran and resident of Newport in
Monroe County, asked Richardville to support a Stolen Valor Law in
Michigan.
“We want to send the message that there will be a consequence
for any individual who embellishes or fabricates a military service
record,” said Larnhart. “Valor belongs to the real warriors. We
must be vigilant in our efforts to shut down stolen valor.”
In one such case, a soldier enhanced his service record by
claiming he was injured in Afghanistan. As a result, he was invited
to events, such as rock concerts and baseball games, where he was
recognized for his service. In reality, the soldier had served in
Japan and Quantico, Virginia, and was never stationed in
Afghanistan.
The bills will now go to the Senate Senior Citizens and Veterans
Affairs Committee for consideration.
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Phony War Hero Gets 18 Months Jail Time
October 22, 2009
Associated Press
QUANTICO, Va. -- A Marine Corps sergeant was sentenced Wednesday to
18 months confinement and fined $25,000 for pretending to be an
injured war hero to get free seats at rock concerts and professional
sporting events.
Sgt. David W. Budwah also will be reduced in rank to private and
dishonorably discharged after any appeals. He must forfeit all pay and
benefits during his confinement and is subject to up to 3 1/2 years of
additional prison time if he re-offends within two years.
Navy Capt. Bruce W. MacKenzie, chief judge for the Navy and Marine
Corps, gave the sentence after Budwah pleaded guilty to seven counts
in a military courtroom on the Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Va. The
offenses included making false statements, malingering, misconduct and
unlawful appropriation, and carried a combined maximum prison term of
8 1/2 years.
Budwah, 34, of Springhill, La., acknowledged during the hearing
that he was never deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, as he had claimed.
He said he lied about having helped with the 2004 tsunami relief
effort and didn't earn eight medals and ribbons he wore on his
uniform.
"The truth of it is, I was never deployed and I was never
injured," Budwah said. "Everything that I said was
false."
He was actually a radio operator in Okinawa, Japan, from early 2000
to early 2006, when he was transferred to Quantico and worked as a
retail store stock clerk and warehouse laborer.
He admitted to bluffing his way into 13 events last year including
banquets; Counting Crows, Boston and Collective Soul concerts; a
Washington Redskins football game; and a Washington Nationals baseball
game.
He also lied to obtain a laptop computer and personal digital
assistant from Soldiers' Angels, an organization that helps wounded
service members.
"It does a lot of damage," Kassie Claughton, a Soldiers'
Angels representative, testified. "People who actually have been
in combat - it kind of neglects what they're going through."
Budwah acknowledged he lied when he told young boys at an American
Legion camp in western Maryland in July 2008 that he was wounded in
Afghanistan when he dove on a homemade grenade to shield a buddy from
the blast.
He apologized to those he deceived, especially workers and
volunteers at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.,
where he was an inpatient during the second half of 2008.
"You were only trying to help me and I betrayed that
trust," Budwah said.
He said he initially was sent to the hospital for outpatient
treatment for stomach problems and then became depressed and suicidal
after a romantic relationship - his first since a divorce - ended in
April 2008.
He said he started lying because he liked the treatment at Bethesda
and wanted to fit in with the wounded warriors he had befriended.
"It seemed if I had that - something similar to everybody else
- that would make me feel more like a crowd or a group of
people," Budwah told the judge.
The prosecutor, Marine Capt. Thomas Liu, said Budwah had besmirched
the Marine Corps' integrity.
"Let there be no mistake - the services and gifts that the
accused obtained, they were not free. But their value is overshadowed
by the benevolent intent of the people who gave them. That is the
violation here today," Liu said.
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".... MR Lyon: Feel free to "correct the story" if you
have proof (i.e. DD214, military records) of your claims. Until
such time that you provide proof, this publication is inclined to
believe the reputable sources which have researched your claims and
found them wanting."
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Prison inmate charged in 1987 killing of corpsman
The Associated Press
Posted: 10/15/2009 04:11:15 PM PDT
Updated: 10/15/2009 07:40:19 PM PDT
NATIONAL CITY, Calif.A 62-year-old man already serving a life sentence
for murder pleaded not guilty Thursday to the killing of a Navy corpsman
whose remains were discovered last year, 22 years after he went missing.
Robert Nydeggerwho is serving his sentence at Solano State Prison for
the 1988 murder of his roommateentered the plea for the murder of
then-25-year-old corpsman Crispino Buzon. Nydegger was ordered held
without bail.
Nydegger had been Buzon's supervisor at Balboa Naval Hospital. Police
say the two men had gone to dinner together on April 24, 1987.
Buzon had been scheduled to fly to the Phillipines from Norton Air Force
Base in San Bernardino the following day to pick up his wife and bring
her back to the United States but never showed.
Nydegger had been considered a person of interest at the time, but no
charges were filed, partly because no body was found.
Police said Buzon had told family and friends he had paid Nydegger
$3,000 because Nydegger said he had special connections who could make
it easier for Buzon's wife to come to the United States.
The case was reopened in 2005, and Buzon's skeletal remains were found
in a remote section of San Bernardino County last year.
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'Awards' Story a Shock to Sailors
October 17, 2009
Times Union, Albany, N.Y.
Joseph Keller was "gang busters" when he joined the Navy
reserves in 2006.
Sailors from a Navy reserve unit in Groton, Conn., recall the
Delmar man as an ambitious teenager who won over older and
higher-ranked ship men with eagerness and hard work. The young Seaman
worked with personnel records in an office job, but also in the unit's
weapons department.
More experienced members of Inshore Boat Unit TWO TWO took a liking
to Keller because he deployed to Kuwait with them in 2007, even though
he told the unit that he was accepted into the U.S. Naval Academy in
Annapolis, Md., to possibly become an officer.
"He was sort of the golden boy," said Sean Cox, 37, a
master chief.
But Keller's fellow Sailors now consider him persona non grata.
Members of the coastal warfare unit said this week that Keller
committed the unacceptable acts of lying about his military service
and medals. They expressed shock and anger at seeing recent pictures
of Keller, now 21, wearing the "fraudulent" awards and pins,
and strongly objected to Keller's recent formation of a Naval Sea
Cadet Corps in Saratoga Springs. That program was supposed to meet for
the first time today, but was officially deactivated by Cadet Corps
authorities Friday after they learned of Keller's past.
The Cadet Corps trains boys and girls ages 11 to 17 for possible
military careers, and Keller had worked with about 30 young cadets in
a separate Albany corps. But Navy officials said that his past
mistakes make him unsuitable for working with young cadets.
"This individual does not represent the core values of my
Navy: Honor, courage and commitment," said Lt. Commander David
Rewkowski, who served in the Navy with Keller and became suspicious of
his boasting.
Rewkowski, a 32-year-old graduate of the Naval Academy, said he
discovered that Keller lied about getting into the prestigious college
after Keller requested to leave Kuwait early so he could spend time
with his family before reporting to the academy. As part of Keller's
punishment, Navy officials disqualified him from wearing the coveted
Enlisted Expeditionary Warfare Specialist insignia, Rewkowski said.
Keller, however, was permitted to remain with his unit in Kuwait,
perhaps because of his work ethic.
Keller completed his eight-month tour of duty. But internal reviews
of the unit's records revealed that he forged the signatures of senior
Navy and Army officers and added citations to his record that he did
not deserve while working in the part-time administrative job in
Kuwait, Navy officials said.
A photo posted on the Internet in July shows Keller wearing the
warfare insignia that he was stripped of, a Coxswain pin and ribbons
that he never earned, officials say.
"He was discharged due to his fraudulent award entries in his
record that we found," Keller's former supervisor, Yeoman First
Class Danyell Rowland, 32, said.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service later investigated Keller
for allegedly stealing a tool set worth thousands of dollars from the
TWO TWO unit. No formal charges were filed, but the merchandise was
recovered from the garage of Keller's mother, Rewkowski said.
Navy officials are dumbfounded as to why the talented Seaman
allegedly lied about being accepted to the Naval Academy when he was
"almost a shoe-in" for it. They also are unsure of why he
awarded himself medals that he likely would have earned anyway.
Rewkowski thought that it "came down to ego and prestige."
Keller, a New Jersey native, had joined the Sea Cadets in the
Albany area as an 11- or 12-year-old. Reached by phone on Thursday, he
sounded contrite. "I understand the mistakes I made in service,
however, I do believe I am an excellent teacher, and have a lot to
offer to the Sea Cadets. My interest in the Sea Cadets is purely for
the cadets and the kids in the program."
But by Friday, Keller resigned from the Saratoga battalion and it
was dissolved, said Ed Sobieray, headquarter representative for the
Navy's Sea Cadet Corps.
"He feels he cannot do his job," Sobieray said. "If
we find a new leader, we will start it up again." Keller's
background was not researched prior to becoming commander of the
Saratoga cadets because of his extensive history in the program,
Sobieray said.
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Here is an update on last month's story about James Richard Lyons,
the driver of the truck that carries the Wall That Heals from one
location to another.
James, as you may recall, has claimed to be a gunny in the Marines
who enlisted in the Navy and served 4 tours in Vietnam from 64 to 68
even though he was in high school in 66. Here, as Paul Harvey would
say is the rest of the story.
James Richard Lyons no longer works for the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial Fund.
After the story ran on VeterasToday.com "A
Fake Warrior and the Wall that Heals" James was relieved of
duty and Cary Dees replaced him.
Cary was the driver for many years and was replaced by Lyons at the
begining of this tour schedule.
Jan Skruggs and the VVMF did not hesitate to replace Lyons. I hope
that when it comes time to find another driver, they do an extensive
background check to make sure they do not hire another wannabe.
As for Mr Lyons, he should be prosecuted for his actions under the
Stolen Valor Act. No one should be allowed to claim he was awarded a
Purple Heart or a Silver Star they did not earn! 'Nuff said!
Read More: "A
Fake Warrior and the Wall that Heals"
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From Australia:
More war impostors found
LORNA EDWARDS
October 12, 2009
Rex Crane. Photo: Jeremy Bannister/The Ballarat Courier
The Veterans Affairs Department is investigating another five
cases of war veteran fraud a few days after the head of a
prisoner-of-war association Rex Crane was revealed as a fake.
Veteran Affairs Minister Alan Griffin confirmed that one of the
new cases also involved fraudulently claiming war pensions. ''The
value of this potential recovery can't be estimated at this stage
of the investigation,'' he said.
In two of the cases, the department found the alleged fraud at
the time of the initial claims and were being investigated as
attempted fraud.
RSL state president David McLachlan said veterans were furious
Mr Crane had lied his way to more than $400,000 in war service
pensions. Mr Crane, 83, was the national president of the Ex-POW
Association of Australia. For more than two decades he claimed he
had been imprisoned in Singapore and had survived the
Thailand-Burma Railway. He was exposed this month.
While falsely claiming war pensions is fraudulent, it is also
an offence under the Defence Act to either dishonestly claim to be
a war veteran or wear medals under false pretences.
Major-General McLachlan said impostors were not uncommon.
''I've had several experiences myself where I've spotted people
wearing medals or ribbons on a uniform and you look at them and
think it's not right and you challenge them.''
Vietnam Veterans Association state president Bob Elworthy said
he had heard of hundreds of cases.
''It happens more often than you'd care to think,'' he said.
''Certainly we know that there are people around who still pass
themselves off as being Vietnam veterans and there would have been
hundreds exposed over the years.''
Mr Elworthy said he suspected impostors were driven by
loneliness or a lack of achievement in their life. The camaraderie
of veterans' groups and the respect and honour given veterans also
attracted them. ''It has a real effect on the morale of veterans
because above almost any other group veterans are very accepting
of other veterans and tend to trust them on face value.''
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Weasel
Zippers: POS That Lied About Being A Decorated Iraq War ...
By ZIP
Richard Strandlof, who used the name Rick Duncan, is charged in
Colorado with violating the federal Stolen Valor Act. He was
taken to the federal lockup in San Diego and faces an extradition
hearing Tuesday. For more than a year, ...
Weasel
Zippers - http://www.weaselzippers.net/blog/
Senior
citizen is sought in string of bank holdups ...
Richard Glen Strandlof, 32, was wanted on a federal
warrant after he was charged with violating the Stolen Valor Act,
which makes it illegal to make false claims about having military
decorations. Strandlof is accused of falsely ...
SignOnSanDiego.com:
Metro - http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/metro/
The
Jawa Report: Dirtbag "Anti-War" Marine Imposter Arrested
By JaneNovak
Congress in 2005 passed the Stolen Valor Act after complaints
from veterans about phonies masquerading as heroes and tarnishing the
reputation of true heroes. Confronted by FBI agents, Strandlof
admitted that he had never served in the ...
The
Jawa Report - http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/
RFW
By News and Commentary
Under Colorado's Stolen Valor Act, it is illegal to make false
claims of having military decorations. Although the law doesn't apply
to Wisconsin (because state lawmakers are so backward and behind the
times ), Scocos ought to refrain ...
RFW
- http://radiofreewis.blogspot.com/
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Don’t you like that title? I do. Commence with the
bitching of my classification of this asshat after
you read the article. TSO is going back to doing the
superfly dance in his Superman jammies with the plastic footies….
SAN DIEGO - 9Wants to Know has learned the former head of
the Colorado Veteran’s Alliance, who admitted to lying about his
military service record, has been arrested by FBI agents in
California.
Rick Strandlof faces a charge of “false claims about receipt
of military decorations of medals.”
The FBI tells 9Wants to Know Strandlof was arrested without any
problems.
Strandlof gave his first jailhouse interview to 9Wants to Know in
June and admitted he hadn’t been truthful about his military
record.
Strandlof had claimed he graduated from the Naval Academy and
received a purple heart after being wounded in Iraq.
Strandlof also went by the name Rick Duncan.
Under the pseudonym of Rick Duncan, Strandlof founded the
Colorado Veterans Alliance in order to lobby for veterans’ issues.
In 2008, he became quite popular with local Democratic politicians
as he made a number of campaign appearances and was even featured in
a pair of television advertisements.
Duncan told people he was wounded during the battle of Fallujah.
He told people he served on three separate occasions in Iraq. He was
also known as a harsh critic of President Bush’s policy in the
Middle East.
If convicted, he faces a year in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Somehow the line I suggested got taken out of the article:
“TSO of the famous blog This Ain’t Hell, when contacted by
Channel 9 news responded that: ‘I believe it was noted
philanthropist, philosopher and phrenologist Shaquille O’Neal who
said ‘Tell me how my ass tastes.’”
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POW chief a prisoner of
his own lies - Australia
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Phony
Marine due for arrest
Coloradan who posed as wounded Iraq veteran
being prosecuted under Stolen Valor Act
Posted: 10/03/2009 01:00:00 AM MDT
Updated: 10/03/2009 01:36:44 AM MDT
Rick Glen Strandlof, using the alias Rick
Duncan, campaigned for several political
candidates.
(Denver Post file photo)
Rick Glen Strandlof, a former mental patient
who posed as a wounded Marine captain to found a
statewide veterans group and campaign for
political candidates, is being prosecuted under
the Stolen Valor Act for making claims he
received a Purple Heart.
A federal arrest warrant was issued Thursday
evening for Strandlof, who used the alias Rick
Duncan when he was acting as a spokesman for
veterans issues.
Strandlof will be charged with one count of
making false claims about receipt of military
decorations or medals, a misdemeanor punishable
by a year in jail and a $250,000 fine.
Strandlof, 32, had not been arrested as of
Friday evening.
Jeffrey Dorschner, a spokesman for the U.S.
attorney's office in Colorado, would not say
whether authorities know his whereabouts.
Dorschner said only that Strandlof will be
brought to Denver to appear before a federal
magistrate after he is arrested.
Strandlof is the first person to be charged
in Colorado under the Stolen Valor Act. The act,
passed in 2006, made it possible to prosecute
military fakers who make only verbal claims
about earning military medals. Prior to the act,
phony veterans had to be caught wearing the
medals to be prosecuted.
"A lot of people wonder about the
seriousness of this," said Pam Sterner, the
Pueblo woman who wrote the Stolen Valor Act for
a political science class. "What they don't
understand is that to misrepresent yourself as
someone who has earned a Purple Heart and to
claim you are in the same league as someone who
has sacrificed their life or lost a limb or
something, that is uncalled for."
Suspicions aroused
Strandlof was exposed in May after members of
the group he founded, the Colorado Veterans
Alliance, became suspicious of claims that he
had served three tours in Iraq, survived the
Sept. 11 terror attacks on the Pentagon,
graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and
suffered a brain injury during the battle for
the city of
Rick Glen Strandlof founded a
veterans group in Colorado.
Fallujah.
They searched military records and contacted
the Federal Bureau of Investigation after
determining he had never served in the military.
The FBI began investigating Strandlof and
arrested him in May on an outstanding El Paso
County traffic warrant.
In interviews with the FBI and local and
national media outlets, Strandlof admitted
making up the stories. He said he suffered from
mental illness. He had previously been
hospitalized in a mental institution in Nevada.
People "deeply hurt"
"I think he probably is a real con
artist. It's tragic. His ideas were to do good
and help the vets, but people were deeply hurt
by what he did," said his grandfather
Richard Strandlof, a veteran who lives in
Montana and said he hasn't seen his grandson in
15 years.
The investigation of the phony veteran took
five months because the FBI also was
investigating whether Strandlof used any of the
money he collected on behalf of the Colorado
Veterans Alliance for personal gain. Dorschner
would not comment on what the FBI found. But
there are no charges relating to the
fundraising.
The Stolen Valor case against Strandlof was
helped by the Internet. Portions of speeches he
gave as Rick Duncan are posted on YouTube
videos. In one, he claims he was wounded and
lost four Marines under his command. He also
claimed to have a metal plate in his head from
that injury and to suffer from post traumatic
stress disorder.
The affidavit noted that a month before his
arrest, Strandlof had agreed to appear at a
veterans event wearing his medals, but he showed
up without them.
When asked why, he said he did not wear them
because "it would appear egotistical."
Nancy Lofholm: 970-256-1957 or nlofholm@denverpost.com
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Memorial caretaker faces Stolen Valor charges
Marine Corps Times
By Dan
Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Oct 2, 2009 13:36:10 EDT
Three years ago, Katie Valentino visited the California Vietnam
Veterans Memorial, a granite and bronze monument in Sacramento dedicated
to the 5,822 service members from the Golden State who died or
disappeared during the war.
After shooting some photographs, she was stopped by Kenneth Nelson,
who introduced himself as a retired gunnery sergeant and Vietnam
veteran. He spent the next 45 minutes telling her stories about the war,
she said, including how his own commanding officer died in his hands.
“You never forget seeing death,” she called him telling her.
Valentino, a mental health professional from Bloomingdale, Ill., is
one of the many visitors with whom Nelson, 60, shared such stories
during his 19-year run caring for the memorial. He polished it
regularly, telling journalists who flocked to do stories about him that
the volunteer work helped him cope with memories of the war’s
bloodiest battles.
U.S. authorities now say none of his claims are true. He will be
arraigned Oct. 2 in Sacramento on charges he allegedly wore three
unauthorized Purple Hearts and a Silver Star, and that he lied to FBI
agents investigating his claims, according to an affidavit filed Sept.
10.
In reality, Nelson never served in combat with the “Walking Dead”
of 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, despite his claims of surviving a head
wound and a napalm burn during service that included battles at Khe Sanh,
Con Thien and Quang Tri, the indictment said. He enlisted in 1977 but
lasted less than two months before being discharged as a private at
Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Marine officials said. He did not
graduate from boot camp.
Other claims?
Although the indictment focuses on a single incident in which Nelson
allegedly wore unauthorized medals, authorities believe “there were
claims to other various medals,” said U.S. Attorney Camil Skipper, who
is prosecuting the case. Nelson is listed as a recipient of valorous
medals on Web sites such as americasveterans.org, which says he earned
the Navy Cross — the nation’s second highest award for valor — the
Silver Star, the Bronze Star with V and three Purple Hearts.
In a telephone interview, Nelson said he will face his charges
“like a man,” but he denied ever wearing unauthorized medals. He
declined to say whether he served in Vietnam, citing the open case.
“I don’t think I did anything wrong. I had too much respect for
those guys on the wall,” he said, referring to names memorialized on
the monument.
Pressed for details on his service, Nelson accused the media of
distorting his service record in previously published reports, and he
suggested the nonprofit organization Vietnam Veterans of America was out
to get him.
“My main function was to protect that memorial and to protect a
piece of history,” he said. “I’m just the little guy.”
Dick Southern, director of VVA’s California region, dismissed
Nelson’s accusations.
“The fact that he watched over a memorial or helped maintain a
memorial doesn’t give him the right to say he’s something that
he’s not,” Southern said. “If all the things [he is accused of]
are true, then he deserves the punishment he is going to get.”
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Speaker's POW status is in doubt
Great Bend man stands by his war story, although records do not support
it
Former Vietnam-era prisoners of war and related organizations
contend that a Great Bend man falsely claimed to have been a POW during
a POW/MIA commemoration on Sept. 19 in Great Bend.
The man, John Patrick Murphy, wore a Marine uniform with sergeant's
stripes and was identified as having spent a year as a prisoner of war
in Laos.
At one point he told the gathering: "As prisoners we endured
unimaginable physical and mental torture at the hands of our
captors."
However, Larry Greer, spokesman for the Department of Defense's
POW/MIA office, which is the custodian of the official list of prisoners
of war, said there were only four Vietnam-era POWs named Murphy, and
only one returned alive - John Stanley Murphy Jr., a retired Air Force
pilot who said the other Murphy should apologize.
"I would really like to see him tell everybody in Great Bend,
'OK, I really wasn't this kind of guy. I wasn't a POW and I apologize.'
Try to get out of it that way," said John S. Murphy, now a
69-year-old retiree living in Mineral Wells, Texas. "I'd just like
to see him back off that kind of behavior."
However, the Great Bend Murphy insists he was a POW but acknowledges
he can't prove it.
Murphy said he was "outside the country of Vietnam" in an
area where American forces "were not supposed to be." He would
not elaborate, but he said the government will not release the
information that would document his POW status.
When asked if he was in Laos, he said: "That's pretty
close." However, Murphy said he could not relate what he was doing
there, nor could he state the exact dates he was captured and released,
though he said he was held from 1970 to 1971.
He said he could not explain why he was released in 1971, in advance
of the 1973 Paris peace accords that led to the general release of
American prisoners.
He also said he could not provide the name of another prisoner with
whom he was held.
"I'm really not interested in this, to tell you the truth,"
he said. "I've gone through this before, and that's just the way it
is."
Murphy said he has spoken to groups a few times and has always told
"the powers that be locally that I can't establish my
eligibility."
Murphy said he had sought some years ago to be added to the official
list of prisoners. "And unfortunately they said without the
government releasing information there's nothing they can do," he
said.
Murphy said he does not wear the Prisoner of War medal.
According to the Pentagon list, only 10 Marines were captured in
Laos, and only one of them returned alive. None were named Murphy. Only
18 prisoners from all services and civilians were returned from Laos;
none named Murphy and none in 1971, according the Pentagon list.
Greer said the official list has occasionally been challenged by men
claiming to have been POWs but "in the 15 years I've been here and
even before that, it's never been proven wrong in terms of a name that
should be on the list."
Murphy's hints that he was on a mission he cannot speak about are
common, Greer said.
"I've heard it before," Greer said. "There are no
secret missions left over from the war."
E-mails flying across the country among former POWs have asserted
that the Great Bend Murphy was never a POW, and the POWnetwork.org, a
nonprofit organization that investigates questionable claims of POW
status, has branded Murphy a phony.
"The phonies are stealing honor and integrity from the real
heroes," said Mary Schantag, of POWnetwork.org.
Murphy's claim is not an isolated case.
Schantag said that in 1998 her organization received 22 reports of
people falsely claiming to be Vietnam prisoners of war. Today, she said,
she gets nearly that many a week.
Why?
"Because we're at war," she said. "It's OK to be a
military service member now. Attitudes have changed with the Gulf wars.
Now it's OK to be a hero, and they all want to be part of it. Kids look
up to these guys."
Schantag has researched various public records and learned that the
Great Bend Murphy was in the Marines from 1964 to 1975. She has filed a
request with the Military Personnel Records Center in St. Louis for John
P. Murphy's service record.
"He's claiming to have been held for a year in Laos," she
said. "Very few got out of Laos alive. Those who did are very, very
well known in the ex-POW community. He was missing too long not to have
been missed."
Mike McGrath, a former prisoner of war and two-time past president
and the current historian of NAM-POWs, said there have been more than
2,000 bogus claims. And he says he has met the John Murphy who was a
POW.
John Stanley Murphy Jr., then a captain, flew 233 combat missions,
including 120 over North Vietnam. On June 8, 1972, his F-4 Phantom was
hit just over the border in North Vietnam. Murphy managed to get his
plane turned around but went down just south of the Demilitarized Zone
and was immediately captured by North Vietnamese soldiers.
After being held in a couple of jungle camps, he was transferred to a
camp known by its American prisoners as "The Plantation" in
Hanoi. He was released from captivity March 27, 1973. Murphy remained in
the Air Force for several years before retiring as a major and moving to
Texas to join his family's home building and real estate business.
Murphy, now 69 and retired after also working as a manager for
several manufacturing companies, doesn't understand why anyone would
falsely claim to have been a prisoner of war.
"I didn't realize people did that until a few years back,"
he said. "I didn't realize people went out and made claims to have
accomplished things with the military they didn't do. And John P. Murphy
in Great Bend - I don't know what drives people to do that. Eventually
it's going to catch up with them."
Noting that he has read that the Sept. 19 ceremony in Great Bend was
attended by the Mayor Mike Allison, state Sen. Stephen Morris and a
representative of U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, Murphy said: "It's a
strange situation, and an unfortunate one for the people of Great
Bend."
The Pentagon's official list of POWs is on the Internet at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/pmsea/files.htm.
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Authorities: Activist claimed false medals
Marine Corps Times
By Dan
Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Oct 2, 2009 17:32:02 EDT
U.S. authorities have charged an admitted military faker exposed by
Colorado veterans this spring for lying about being a Marine captain who
served three tours in Iraq, was wounded in combat and survived the 9/11
terror attack on the Pentagon.
Richard Strandlof, 32, was charged Thursday with violating the
federal Stolen Valor Act, which prohibits claiming military decorations
that have not been earned. Using the alias Rick Duncan, Strandlof became
an activist, founding the Colorado Veterans Alliance and campaigning for
anti-war political candidates under the premise. He told other veterans
that he was a Purple Heart and Silver Star recipient wounded by an
improvised explosive device in 2004 in Fallujah, Iraq, authorities said
in an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Denver.
The affidavit marks the first time Strandlof has been accused of
claiming a military medal — an important part to being charged under
Stolen Valor legislation. Some veterans had questioned whether Strandlof
would face charges for misrepresenting himself, because although he
eventually admitted lying about being a war hero, photos of him wearing
a phony military medal never surfaced.
Authorities said in the affidavit that Strandlof told veterans on
several occasions he rated the Purple Heart. In April, he agreed to wear
his medals during a Colorado event for veterans, but attended it without
them, saying that he did not wear his Purple Heart or his Silver Star
“because it would appear egotistical,” the affidavit said.
One month later, the group concluded Strandlof was a liar.
They had already begun to compile documents needed to become a formal
nonprofit organization and met with the office of Sen. Mark Udall, D.-Colo.,
veteran alliance members said in a May statement. After notifying
authorities, the group agreed to set up a May 13 meeting with Strandlof
and FBI agents, who Strandlof did not know would be attending.
At the meeting, an FBI agent identified himself and asked Strandlof
whether his name was Duncan or Strandlof, said former Army Staff Sgt.
Dan Warvi, a former alliance member. Strandlof’s answer: “Both,”
according to the CVA’s statement.
After the revelation, the group’s board of directors voted to
disband their organization, saying in a statement that “we feel his
actions permanently damaged the reputation of Colorado Veterans Alliance
to the point that no future efforts can go forward.”
The affidavit also outlines other alleged misdeeds by Strandlof. He
was suspected in a fraud scheme in Nevada in which he said he would
bring a Grand Prix automobile race to Reno, Nev., authorities said, and
had used both Duncan and Pierson as alias last names in the past,
authorities said.
Online discussions
The Colorado case — and the months that passed without authorities
filing charges — frustrated veterans across the country, and spawned
spirited discussion in veterans communities online. A Sept. 23 entry on
the American Legion’s Burn Pit blog, questioning why he had not been
charged, generated more than 120 comments, and at least a dozen bloggers
took up the issue afterward.
“Here we have a guy who has admitted to lying about his service and
making up stories that portray [veterans] in such a negative manner, and
we can’t get our law enforcement officials at the [Justice Department]
to apply the law to them,” said Mark Seavey, a former Virginia
National Guardsman who wrote the blog post on Burn Pit.
“But, Democrat or Republican, right or left wing, we’re going to
look out for our brothers and sisters in arms and keep outing these
phonies so we don’t have our honor stolen from us by charlatans like
has happened in the past.”
Authorities said this spring that in addition to the Stolen Valor
case, they were investigating whether Strandlof had used any of the
money his organization collected for his own personal gain. The
affidavit does not address the issue, and authorities believe they have
concluded their investigation, said Jeff Dorschner, a spokesman for the
U.S. Attorney’s Office in Colorado.
Speaking on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” in June, Strandlof said
he was suffering from “serious under-diagnosed mental illness” when
he began his deception and was “caught up in the moment of an election
and being surrounded by people who were passionate and loved what they
did.”
Strandlof also said he doesn’t think he is a pathological liar and
that he did not embezzle money from the veterans alliance.
“We did not take money to use on non-veterans projects,” he said.
“I did not enrich myself on this. I did not gain any money from
this.”
Even if that is the case, Strandlof dishonored veterans by lying and
using his claims to draw attention to himself, Warvi said.
“Some would say what Rick did in claiming military service and
combat wounds was a minor infraction and not worth of federal
investigation,” Warvi said. “Service members and veterans alike
would vehemently disagree. Rick did not simply fake a minor injury for a
few free beers in a bar. He claimed one of the most serious and
debilitating injuries of modern warfare, a traumatic brain injury.”
More online
The
complaint
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Alleged
Veteran Impersonator Charged With Faking Military Medals
KKTV
11 News
Alleged Veteran Impersonator Charged With Faking Military Medals
11 News just learned that the man accused of pretending to be a
wounded veteran is now facing federal charges.
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Phony Soldier Arrested After Alleged Bad Check
Scam
Posted: 4:18 pm EDT October 2, 2009Updated:
5:28 pm EDT October 2, 2009
Every month Willys Rosario loads up his SUV in Monroe and takes his
high-end remote-controlled cars to sell at flea markets.
In August he was here at the Barnyard Flea Market in York County
when a man came up with a woman and a young boy wanting to buy two
cars for $380.
"The one he purchased had a red body on it," Willys
said.
Rosario accepted a check, against his better instincts. "He
told me he was a colonel in the Army."
"It hurts that you served and knowing that someone’s out
there pretending to be something they're not," Rosario said.
Sheriff's detective Mike Baker says Elswick told that same lie
many times across the southeast.
He wrote bad checks worth more than $100,000 on a Florida account
he had closed, then resold the items he took.
"I would hate to think that an individual, a citizen was
left with the impression that a military person would do this,”
Baker said.
According to authorities, Elswick was arrested last week in
Blount County, Tenn., after months on the run.
Police say he never had any connection to the military.
According to police, The FBI got involved when Elswick tried to
buy a handgun in Virginia.
He's a convicted felon and not allowed to own one.
Police used the signal from his own cell phone to track him to a
cabin in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.
When they found him, his wife and young child, investigators felt
sorry for them because it was clear that scam is what they were
doing to survive.
Detectives don't know if Elswick's wife will face charges too. It
may depend on each state where he's being prosecuted.
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Charges filed against phony Colorado war hero
Marine Corps Times
By Dan
Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Oct 2, 2009 13:31:42 EDT
U.S. authorities have charged an admitted military faker exposed by
Colorado veterans this spring for lying about being a Marine captain who
served three tours in Iraq, being wounded in combat and surviving the
9/11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon.
Jeffrey Dorschner, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in
Colorado, confirmed Friday morning that charges had been filed against
Richard Glen Strandlof, 32, but said he did not immediately know what
they were. The actions come nearly five months after the FBI arrested
him May 13 on an outstanding warrant after questioning him about his
purported past, which he later admitted concocting.
Until his arrest, Strandlof was known in Colorado as Rick Duncan, a
rising star in politics and openly gay war hero who spoke frequently on
behalf of veterans issues, campaigned for anti-war political candidates
running for state and federal office, and founded the Colorado Veterans
Alliance.
The group came to the conclusion Strandlof was a liar after it began
compiling documents needed to become a formal nonprofit organization and
meeting with the office of Sen. Mark Udall, D.-Colo., said former Army
Staff Sgt. Dan Warvi, an alliance member. After notifying authorities,
the group agreed to set up a May 13 meeting with Strandlof and FBI
agents, who Strandlof did not know would be attending.
At the meeting, an FBI agent identified himself and asked Strandlof
whether his name was Duncan or Strandlof, Warvi said. His answer:
“Both,” according to a statement released by CVA.
After the revelation, the group’s board of directors voted to
disband their organization, saying in a statement that “we feel his
actions permanently damaged the reputation of Colorado Veterans Alliance
to the point that no future efforts can go forward.”
Online discussions
The case frustrated veterans across the country, and spawned spirited
discussion in veterans communities online. A Sept. 23 entry on the
American Legion’s Burn Pit blog, questioning why he has not been
charged, generated more than 120 comments, and at least a dozen bloggers
took up the issue afterward.
“Here we have a guy who has admitted to lying about his service and
making up stories that portray [veterans] in such a negative manner, and
we can’t get our law enforcement officials at the [Justice Department]
to apply the law to them,” said Mark Seavey, a former Virginia
National Guardsman who wrote the blog post on Burn Pit. “But, Democrat
or Republican, right or left wing, we’re going to look out for our
brothers and sisters in arms and keep outing these phonies so we don’t
have our honor stolen from us by charlatans like has happened in the
past.”
Authorities said this spring that they were investigating whether
Strandlof had used any of the money his organization collected for his
own personal gain. Authorities also investigated whether he could be
charged with violating the federal Stolen Valor Act, which was signed
into law in 2006 to crack down on military fakers. Passed by Congress in
2005, it is aimed at “whoever falsely represents himself or herself,
verbally or in writing, to have been awarded any decoration or medal
authorized by Congress for the Armed Forces of the United States.”
Speaking on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” in June, Strandlof said
he was suffering from “serious under-diagnosed mental illness” when
he began his deception and was “caught up in the moment of an election
and being surrounded by people who were passionate and loved what they
did.”
Strandlof also said he doesn’t think he is a pathological liar and
that he did not embezzle money from the veterans alliance.
“We did not take money to use on non-veterans projects,” he said.
“I did not enrich myself on this. I did not gain any money from
this.”
Related reading
Marine
faker admits deception in TV interview
Accused
marine faker pleads in traffic case
Vet
advocate accused of being Marine faker
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Still no charges for accused Colo. faker
Marine Corps Times
By Dan
Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Oct 1, 2009 19:38:58 EDT
It was a case of military fraud so complete it led a statewide
veterans organization to disband.
Richard Glen Strandlof, 32, was arrested May 13 in Colorado on an
outstanding warrant after the FBI questioned him about his purported
past as a Marine captain, three-time Iraq war veteran, wounded warrior
and survivor of the 9/11 terror attack on the Pentagon.
It was all a lie, he
later admitted in a nationally televised interview on CNN. He never
served a day in the military, despite presenting himself for about two
years as Rick Duncan, a gay war hero who spoke frequently on behalf of
veterans issues, founded the Colorado Veterans Alliance and campaigned
for anti-war political candidates, he said.
Five months after he was exposed by fellow members of the alliance
and arrested on an unrelated outstanding warrant for driving with a
suspended license, Strandlof has not been charged with any crime,
including violating the Stolen Valor Act, which was signed into law in
2006 to crack down on military fakers. Despite a mountain of evidence
and his own televised admission of guilt, his case remains open and
under investigation, said Jeff Dorschner, a spokesman for the U.S.
Attorney’s Office in Colorado. He declined further comment.
Strandlof’s case highlights a possible loophole in the Stolen Valor
legislation. Passed by Congress in 2005, it is aimed at “whoever
falsely represents himself or herself, verbally or in writing, to have
been awarded any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the
Armed Forces of the United States.” It is less clear how it affects
someone like Strandlof, who lied repeatedly about serving in the Corps,
but apparently did not wear fraudulent medals or say publicly that he
rated them, said Doug Sterner, an expert on stolen valor issues.
“Either he didn’t put his heart into his fraud, or he knew what
he could and couldn’t get away with,” Sterner said. “I think it
would be a very, very hard case to try under Stolen Valor.”
If federal authorities bring a case against Strandlof, it could be on
the basis that by claiming he was wounded in combat, he was by extension
saying he merited the Purple Heart, Sterner said. Similarly, authorities
could make the case that by saying he deployed to Iraq, he was claiming
by extension a decoration such as the National Defense Service Medal,
which every service member currently receives for serving honorably in a
time of war.
The case has frustrated veterans across the country, and spawned
spirited discussion in veterans communities online. A
Sept. 23 entry on the American Legion’s Burn Pit blog, questioning
why he has not been charged, generated more than 120 comments, and at
least a dozen bloggers took up the issue afterward.
“Here we have a guy who has admitted to lying about his service and
making up stories that portray [veterans] in such a negative manner, and
we can’t get our law enforcement officials at the [Justice Department]
to apply the law to them,” said Mark Seavey, a former Virginia
National Guardsman who wrote the blog post on Burn Pit. “But, Democrat
or Republican, right or left wing, we’re going to look out for our
brothers and sisters in arms and keep outing these phonies so we don’t
have our honor stolen from us by charlatans like has happened in the
past.”
Dan Warvi, a former Army staff sergeant who helped expose Strandlof
as a fraud, said in an e-mail that he and other members of the former
veterans alliance do not want to comment while the investigation is
open, in case their comments somehow jeopardize the case. The
organization was disbanded in May, with members saying in a statement
that Strandlof’s actions had “permanently damaged the reputation of
the Colorado Veterans Alliance.”
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Pomona-area
water board member sentenced for misusing public funds
October 1, 2009 | 2:09 pm
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/10/pomona-water-board.html
A Pomona-area water board member convicted of misappropriating public
funds was sentenced today to five years in state prison.
Pomona Superior Court Judge Mike Camacho sentenced Three Valleys
Municipal Water District board member Xavier
Alvarez, 51, to state prison and ordered him to pay
$4,150.79 in restitution to the water district.
Alvarez, who in 2006 was elected to the board by south Pomona voters,
unlawfully secured medical benefits for his ex-wife, Juanita Ruiz. The
Three Valleys district provides medical insurance to its directors,
their spouses, children and other dependents.
Alvarez failed to disclose that he had been divorced for five years
when he applied for and received health insurance benefits for Ruiz,
prosecutors said. Alvarez already was on federal probation for falsely
claiming to be a Medal of Honor recipient.
L.A. County Deputy Dist. Atty. Sandi Roth noted jurors deliberated for
less than an hour Sept. 18 before convicting Alvarez of
misappropriation of public funds, insurance fraud and grand theft.
His conviction for misappropriation of public funds prohibits him from
holding elected office again. A pending case against Alvarez involving
one count of perjury was dismissed at sentencing.
-- Richard Winton
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