USAR major defrauds Gold Star families out of millions

| April 18, 2024

This is the lowest of the low. Caz Craffy, a US Army Reserve major apparently, has plead guilty to using his position as a financial advisor to Gold Star families to bilk them out of millions.

Army Times story:

An Army Reserve major pleaded guilty to using his position as an Army financial counselor to defraud Gold Star families, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday.

Caz Craffy, 41, who also goes by “Carz Craffey,” admitted to taking advantage of his role to swindle deceased troops’ grieving loved ones out of millions, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.

As a result of his criminal activity, Gold Star families lost more than $3.7 million, while Craffy personally pocketed more than $1.4 million in commissions. The scam prompted a move in Congress to strengthen oversight of the military’s financial counselors.

“Nothing can undo the enormous loss that Gold Star families have suffered, but the Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to protect them from further harm,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in the statement.

Officials charged Craffy last year with 10 counts, including six counts of wire fraud, following an investigation by The Washington Post.

Craffy worked as an Army civilian financial counselor from November 2017 to January 2023, entrusted with providing guidance to the surviving beneficiaries of deceased troops who can be eligible for hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation. But without telling the Army, Craffy simultaneously maintained outside employment with two separate investment firms.

The vast majority of families whose finances Craffy mishandled mistakenly believed his management of their money was done on behalf of the Army.

Gold Star families invested more than $9.9 million in accounts Craffy managed in his private capacity from May 2018 to November 2022. Once in control of the money, he repeatedly executed trades, often without their authorization, which earned him high commissions.

In a particularly appalling offense, Craffy misappropriated $50,000 from the account of a minor whose parent died on active duty, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission previously said in a release.

Craffy began his time in the Army Reserve in 2003, according to a service record previously shared with Military Times.

A plea agreement outlines a prison term of roughly eight to 10 years, though a sentencing scheduled for August will determine how much time he officially receives, as well as how much money he is ordered to pay.

The SEC also has a pending civil complaint against Craffy based on the same and additional conduct, the Justice Department release noted.

“We take these matters very seriously and will address this issue in accordance with Army regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice to ensure due process,” Army Reserve spokesperson Lt. Col. Addie Leonhardt told Military Times in a statement. “However, the Privacy Act precludes the Army Reserve from discussing a specific soldier’s case in further detail.”

Craffy’s attorney did not immediately respond to Military Times’ request for comment.

Adios, MF’er. 8-10 years doesn’t seem nearly enough.

Category: Army, Crime, Veterans in the news

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ANCRN

This guy should have to work the rest if his life, with 50% of his pay going back to those families. If we send him to prison, how do they get any of their money back? His house should be sold, all his possessions sold, and he works for the rest of his life just to stay poor.

2banana

They ain’t getting their money back. Lousy investments and he spent it.

ANCRN

That’s why he should be sentenced to work until he drops. The money he earns goes to his victims.

2banana

Robbed military families who lost a loved one to include children who lost a parent.

So, how long until he plays the race card?

Odie

I’m sure it has already been played in a mock trial, just to see how well it works. The lawyers representing this POS should not get paid until the affected families are made whole financially. Why should they get what’s rightfully theirs for the work they put in while the victims get the table scraps of the remainder.

Give this guy the same treatment as the J6 folks, and tell him his speedy trial is on the books for a future date TBD later.

5JC

I’m guessing a lot of the victims are black. The race card will go over like a brick balloon.

ninja

We thought this Dude looked familiar.

thebesig did a post on him in July 2023:

https://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=144313

His legal name is Carz Levinski Craffey.

The TAH link from July 2023 has information about him.

Here is a DoD video of him from Iraq in November 2009 when he was a 1LT:

https://www.dvidshub.net/video/231839/1st-lt-carz-craffey

Thank You for the update, Mason!

ninja

He’s a Big Dude.

😉😎

We think he was a Civil Affairs Officer.

1000007118
26Limabeans

The bigger they are the harder they fall.

e.conboy

Thud!

rgr769

Yup, just like our beloved Commissar.

Commissar

Not “just like”.

A career field is a pretty broad similarity.

For instance, not all former infantryman are dipshits “just like” you.

Last edited 5 months ago by Commissar
Commissar

He was/is.

I served with him briefly. He was gregarious and friendly..,but he had an opportunistic hustler vibe.

I didn’t peg him as a sociopath that would victimize gold star families.

There are a lot of moderate to high functioning sociopaths among officers. A friendly one can blend easily especially compared to the more overtly sociopathic peers.

rgr769

I am sure you had a lot in common.

Commissar

This kind of obstinate schoolyard bullshit is why this forum is such a clown show.

Marine0331

I guess we are not allowed to have our own opinion and voice it?

Commissar

He isn’t voicing an opinion. He is making a baseless accusation that I have a lot in common with a person that abused the trust and finances of gold Star families for personal gain.

It is bullshit even try to frame that as as him merely expressing his “opinion”.

Your response is bad faith framing.

rgr769

Aww, cuttlefish, that reference to you was a response to the subject major being a Civil Affairs Officer, as Ninja stated. I was not attempting to ascribe any immoral or criminal behavior to you. The fact is that you are both Civil Affairs branched Reserve Majors. It is you that informed us you served with this crook, and you knew well enough to evaluate his character and give us your psychological diagnosis of “sociopath.” It is also you that descended into name calling.

By the way, I spent most of my military service as a Special Forces Officer. My DD214 says so. Just to correct the record.

KoB

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Hack Stone

Time to go Old School on his ass.

SFC D

That’s a tradition that should be brought back.

rgr769

Ditto. Also, the death penalty by public hanging.

MCPO USN

Or, a cartridge to the cranium of Craffey. No hole, vultures have to eat, same as worms.

Commissioner Wretched

As an aside, I did not know that Branded was produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman … best known for their many game shows. Gotta work that into the trivia column.

Hack Stone

In addition, Chuck Connors and Peter Grave are brothers. Never knew that tidbit until a fellow contractor told me 15 or 20 years ago. Hack doubted him. Looked it on Al Gore’s Amazing Internet, and it turns out that Hack Stone was wrong. The Internet; It’s Just Not For Porn, Anymore.

MustangCPT

Unfortunately, Hack is mistaken. Peter Graves was born Peter Duesler Aurness, making him the younger brother of one James King Aurness, better known as James Arness. Please update the archives at Hack Stone Publishing accordingly. Your prompt attention in this matter is greatly appreciated.

26Limabeans

“Chuck Connors and Peter Grave are brothers”
Did not know that. The resemblance is obvious.
But apparently wrong…….

Last edited 5 months ago by 26Limabeans
Eggs

Someone was gravely mistaken 😬

Hack Stone

They should have gotten a clue that the guy is a bit shady when he was put in charge of his Command’s Army Relief Drive, and he he met his goal by 8000%.

5JC

It takes a special kind of person to prey on the survivors of a veteran who gave every last full measure in the service of their country. I don’t throw the term human garbage around lightly, But I’m not 100% sure that he is human, Just garbage.

Old tanker

This statement is pure BS.

“Nothing can undo the enormous loss that Gold Star families have suffered, but the Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to protect them from further harm,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in the statement.

There damn sure is something you can do. You can go to the bloated DOJ budget and remove funding from the fbi and homeland security that they are using to prosecute trump and those that support him as well as the funds used to prosecute the Jan 6 defendants. Then you can use those funds to repay the victims in the DOD system that were defrauded by the person(s) you placed in the position they abused.

rgr769

That statement was written by one of his bootlicking subordinate cucks.

e.conboy

Note to MBG: “Nothing can undo the enormous loss that these Gold Star families have suffered…” suppose you lead the efforts to relieve the pain these families are suffering. This country is suffering from a lack of leadership. Time for you to show your true colors. Respectfully yours.

KoB

Since the Gold Star Families that this POS stole from will never get their money back, I say we just hang the bastard…”pour encourager les autres.”

Despicable

President Elect Toxic Deplorable Racist SAH Neande

Forfeiture and seizing of all assets first.

rgr769

I note there is no mention in the doc as to what his recommended sentence will be. I bet it will be less than four years.

OAM

Equitable for the families would be to return the monies they “invested”, plus the interest and dividends that would have accrued had these been legitimate investments. Use the S&P 500 index average for the ensuing years. Then, double that amount as punitive damages. And yes, take it out of the DoD budget as there was an obvious systemic failure of his command. Then, put him in Leavenworth, gen pop, and let everyone know what he did.

Or, release him into a group therapy weekend hunting expedition of combat veterans, preferable in Louisiana near a swamp. Multiple issues solved. The combat veterans can exercise some demons, “do something meaningful” for the families of their fallen brothers, and save the taxpayers the cost of housing, clothing and feeding this parasitic oxygen thief.

Also, make sure there is lots of Pepto Bismal on hand to alleviate the digestive discomfort of the swamp critters.

KoB

“…release him into a group therapy weekend hunting expedition…”

There you go again, Mi’Lady…threatening us with a good time. Where do I sign up?

OAM

I’ll let everyone know as soon as I finish organizing it.
/sarc
adding the sarc tab, just in case one of the loonies try to make something of this.

Last edited 5 months ago by OAM
KoB

Have Hog…will travel

Wire Gun Bunny…Firebase Magnolia

MustangCPT

Paladin, you ain’t. And don’t try to play the M109 card…🤣

KoB

Hey Boy…hold my repro Peacemaker, my black hat, and watch this…

Get busy and…Prepare

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Anonymous

Better to have and not need… and the year’s go a way to go yet:
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Odie

Do you need a ride to as yet unnamed swamp? I got some free time and ain’t skeered to use it.

Let me put this here (/sarc tag) for the same reason.

26Limabeans

If they hang him use that gawd awful necktie he’s wearing.

rgr769

His Moms gave to him for X-mas. It matches that bag of candy-canes.

Anonymous

Talk about Full Retard.

Amateur Historian

Jackass.

Green Thumb

Not a big deal in Biden’s DEI-driven Army.

rgr769

Big Green sure is producing some fine officers nowadays.

Odie

Some of them are bound and determined to live up to the zero moniker given them by enlisted personnel.

Berliner

May Thor, Tiny, Bubba and the whole prison gang introduce him to the prison version of “Party in the front — business in the rear” on a nightly basis as retribution… lube optional.

Harry

The problem is those he bilked will never see a dime of that money returned to them…scumbag needs to go away for at least 30 years.

A Proud Infidel®™

Bury him under the prison.

Veritas Omnia Vincit

Once again upon the advice of counsel I must refrain from over stating my thoughts as to the nature of this punishment…

Suffice to say, a hammer, vise grips, a variety of screwdrivers, a sharpened stainless steel spoon, and some acetic acid would be a great place to start…

InbredRedneck

Let’s not forget to provide him with the “circumcision-by-chainsaw” treatment.