MD VA’s Clark sentenced for fraud
We’ve discussed David Clark a few times over the past few years. He was the official at the Maryland Department of Veterans’ Affairs who was deputy chief for claims there and, as such, submitted claims for himself and his cronies. The Stars & Stripes reports that he was sentenced to a year in the pound;
David Clark, 68, of Hydes, Md., was given a one-year sentence Dec. 5 for obtaining VA compensation for himself and at least 17 others by claiming they had been diagnosed with diabetes following Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War, the office said in a press release.
[…]
“Clark fraudulently obtained VA compensation for himself and at least 17 others, by submitting false documents to the VA purporting to show that the claimants had been diagnosed with diabetes, and in some cases that the claimants had served in Vietnam when they had not,” the U.S. attorney’s office said in the release.
In May, six other veterans pleaded guilty to receiving over $500,000 as part of the scheme.
The ruse included letters Clark forged using the names and addresses of real doctors. The letters claimed earlier diagnoses of Type II diabetes, which entitle veterans to lump-sum payments.
“The letters also stated that the claimants were currently taking insulin, which increased the amount of compensation the VA paid the claimant,” the attorney’s office said.
He also counterfeited Defense Department forms to make it appear the veterans had served in the Vietnam War and had received numerous awards. Clark falsely claimed he received a Purple Heart.
I wonder how many real veterans with real problems in Maryland had to wait in line behind these criminals. I also wonder what kind of system would allow a VA official to approve his own claim. A year in prison is going too easy on this thief. The article claims that he has to pay back the money he stole, but, that’s hardly enough punishment, either. Something really painful needs to happen to him – something administered by Maryland veterans.
The Baltimore Sun said his damages to the system were pretty costly;
According to a federal indictment made public Wednesday, David Clark secured $1.4 million in fraudulent payouts over 16 years. An Army veteran, Clark rose to deputy chief of claims at the state agency before retiring in 2011.
Category: Crime
Yeah and it’s coming up on 2 years that I submitted a request to just simply ADD A DEPENDENT to my VA disability and it STILL HASN’T BEEN PUT THROUGH.
At least I’ll get the difference in back disability pay when it does. That’s not the point though….it shouldn’t take TWO FARKING YEARS!
Even though I submitted my wife’s dependent status with my original claim, I was told that she couldn’t be added because her Social Security Number was missing a digit (the copy of her card wasn’t missing anything). It took me three years to get her added and they decided that I didn’t try back when I first submitted, so I didn’t get the back money owed to me for her.
Again, we see fraudulent claims elevated over those of vets who may need this money to actually survive, let alone get the help they need.
Years have gone by now on my Dependents claim now… they are shoved at the bottom of the barrel/pile for Claims. Last time I call the 800 number, some dick named Jeremey hung up on me after I asked to speak to a supervisor. After he started whining about their workload. Told him I work for the VA also, and that is no excuse for poor customer service… Off to my Congressional Delegation has gone my complaint. Sick of this shit.
Gee, I don’t know, Chip. I’ve always found that the VA is very timely. At least when they friggin’ disapprove a claim!
$1.4 million, huh? Is that going to come out of his pension(s)? Or will he get a waiver?
I do hope Mr. Clark enjoys his visit to the Big House. I also hope it’s a pound-em-in-the-ass kind of place, so he can find out what it feels to be screwed sideways, like he’s doing to other people.
It’d be Camp Whoop-T-Doo. When was the last time a you heard of a civil servant doing hard time for a hard crime?
This is a joke, a travesty. First, restitution isn’t a penalty. Second, it will likely never be paid in full. Third, and most important, this deal—and it was a sweet deal—had Clark plead guilty to just two counts of extortion out of a mountain of crimes he committed. For that he received his year and a day sentence and that so very severe two years of probation supervision upon his release. That will certainly teach him and deter others! So, thanks US Attorney for Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. And thanks Assistant U.S. Attorney Leo J. Wise. And let’s not forget Chief U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake. Thanks, Cathy.
By the way, the record will reflect that Clark extorted money from others in exchange for doctoring their paperwork. He was NOT convicted of theft at all. Tell me that’s not sweet.
If one didn’t know better you’d think he’d been a general officer at some point in his career…
This asshat was a State of Maryland employee, not a federal government…Either way, its a wonder he was even prosecuted.
Maybe he’s some politician’s kid or Nephew?
He’ll be out in some stupid amount of time like 108 days or something.
They could have had him for Stolen Valor, too, but that fell by the wayside along with a slew of other charges. He claimed a Purple Heart that wasn’t his. So, thanks again to the DOJ, most especially US Attorney for Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. And thanks Assistant U.S. Attorney Leo J. Wise. Helluva job. Helluva snow job.
Maryland, huh? Maybe now someone will look at the claims and payouts of other folks who have been frauds, like Sealy McChippendale?
The VA investigate Sealy McChippendale’s disability claim and status, NHSparky? That would require the VA OIG to actually, well, do its freaking job.
Don’t hold your breath.
Little kids selling lemonaid at stands on the side of the road get swifter and harsher punishments than defrauding the government for 16 years and over a million.
This country is going places that’s for sure.