Woman who faked death at Grandview sentenced

Julie M. Wheeler

Julie M. Wheeler, 43, of Beckley, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for federal health care fraud.

After serving her prison sentence, she will be placed on supervised release for three years.

She was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $289,055.07, an amount calculated by the Veterans Administration (VA) and approved by the court.

In imposing a sentencing enhancement for obstruction, Judge Copenhaver found that Wheeler attempted to obstruct and impede the administration of justice by staging an “elaborate hoax” to fake her own death to avoid federal sentencing.

Woman Who Faked Death After Cheating VA Out of $300,000 Now Headed to Prison

By Hope Hodge Seck

A woman who staged an “elaborate hoax” including a faked fatal fall into a gorge to avoid the consequences of VA health care fraud was caught anyway — and will serve 3 and-a-half years in federal prison, the Department of Justice announced Wednesday.

Wheeler had previously pleaded guilty on Feb. 11 to defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs Spina Bifida Health Care Benefits Program. According to the release, she had long overbilled as a caregiver for a family member, identified as K.L.

“Wheeler did not provide K.L. the care for and during the time period described,” DOJ officials said in the release. “Wheeler submitted claims to the VA stating that she provided care for K.L. eight hours a day, seven days a week, from October 2016 to April 2018 at the full daily rate of $736 a day. Wheeler gave a statement to the VA and the FBI admitting that she greatly inflated the rate and quality of the care that she provided to K.L. This was corroborated by other witnesses who provided statements that Wheeler did not provide eight hours of daily care.”

Wheeler acknowledged as well that her conduct had deprived her family member of services, according to the release. Sadly, K.L, who really did have spina bifida, has since died, officials said.

But after pleading guilty, Wheeler sought to avoid paying for her actions in federal sentencing, officials said. On May 31, according to the release, “Wheeler and other family members staged her fall from the Grandview State Park overlook,” a popular state park in Raleigh County, West Virginia.

K. L. turns out to be Wheeler’s own sister. For the rest of this contemptible story, read here: Military.com

Category: "Teh Stoopid", Crime, Veterans' Affairs Department