Masshole blood-boiler

Good thing I am not headed to the doc’s any time soon – I suspect my blood pressure would look more like a low-rider’s tire size than anything survivable.

Why? As Mr. Serling might say, let’s consider the case of Joseph Smith, an ordinary looking 71 year old from New Bedford, Massachusetts. He could be the nice neighbor next door – could be, but isn’t, and certainly won’t be for the ridiculously short term of one year 11 months. Why, indeed, pray tell?

Of any web site, this is one where folks know what ALS is. We lost Jonn to it, many of us have lost friends to it – it’s a terrible, unpredictable disease which robs one of  control of their body and can act quickly and relatively mercifully, or take years (or even decades). But generally speaking, the mind is good while (as one good friend said “I need a new wiring harness.”) the body goes.

Who in the actual hell would steal from someone dying of ALS? Throw a cherry on top of that sundae, from a 20-year Marine veteran dying of ALS?  Well, Mr. Smith above is your guy.

A New Bedford man was sentenced to prison in federal court on Friday for stealing over $450,000 in disability benefits that were meant for a Marine veteran with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

Joseph Smith, 71, was found guilty of stealing monthly disability checks from a 20-year veteran alongside multiple accomplices. The victim of this crime was diagnosed with ALS in 2015 and was approved for disability benefits by the United States Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), at which time they awarded him $8,318 in monthly payments.

The victim lived with Smith’s relative at the time, and the checks were mailed to their home in New Bedford. When he was hospitalized for ALS between 2015 and 2020, Smith and others received the monthly VBA checks and deposited them into their own bank accounts and fraudulent ones under the name of the veteran.

Smith would then withdraw the funds in cash and use the money for personal use. Over $450,000 in disability benefits was stolen from the victim by Smith and others.  WWLP Springfield

Seems the vet lived in the same house with Smith’s brother about when he was diagnosed. Smith and others stole the disability checks, and even set up phony bank accounts in the vet’s name.

All the articles mention “others” involved, including Smith’s brother, but no mention of them being charged or sentenced. It does say, however, that in addition to his time Smith has to repay the funds, but I’m not hopeful.

Smith was also ordered to pay $459,550,86 in restitution.  Justice.gov

At age 71, good luck getting that. More likely this is one of those “who says crime doesn’t pay” cases – unless Smith has assets we can’t see, repaying that kind of money starting at 73? Yeah, right.

“Every American owes a debt of gratitude to the men and women who have worn the uniform. Stealing from them is simply immoral and Mr. Smith will now pay a heavy price for his egregious betrayal of a veteran who sacrificed for all of us to keep our country free and safe,” said United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. Boston.com

Sorry, Mr. Levy, we’re gonna have to disagree on that “heavy price”. Less than two years probably means under a  year to actually spend in the graybar hotel – well, maybe at least it’s a sentence long enough to potentially send him to PMITA prison instead of relaxing at County, right?

I do hope I read more of Mr. Smith in the future… hopefully the words “shank” or “shiv” will be in the same article. Or maybe someone will just hear of his crime and beat the snot out of him daily. One can always hope.

Category: Crime, Marines