7 Florida vets arrested for VA fraud
“MCPO Ret. In TN” sends us a link to CBS12 News in West Palm Beach where 7 veterans were arrested for filing false travel vouchers for their trips to the VA hospital, some of them didn’t even have drivers’ licenses;
They’re accused of submitting almost $150,000 worth of fraudulent requests for travel reimbursements.
Some veterans, depending on their income and other factors, can be reimbursed for travel when they go to and from the VA Medical Center to see a doctor.
But the feds found some veterans in our area were lining their pockets, submitting bogus travel expenses for reimbursement.
“These are dollars that could’ve been going to veterans’ care and instead they’re going into pockets of people who didn’t deserve it,” said U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, Florida Dist. 21.
In some cases investigators say the veterans took the Tri-Rail train or Palm Tran Bus to the VA Medical Center, but they turned in travel vouchers claiming they drove there so they could be reimbursed at a higher rate for mileage on their car.
That’s why we can’t have nice things. Of course, their $150k pales to what VA spends every day on frivolous shit, but that doesn’t justify their criminality.
Category: Shitbags
Now this just made my morning. It would have been perfect if the names and faces of these parasites were reported. Thankx for the post.
Was one of the vets Commander Phil Monkress at All-Points Logistics?
Old habits are hard to break!
I know phony Phil splits his time between Merritt Island and Huntsville, but he did not have a driver’s license.
Maybe he was pulling this shit in two states?
Known felonious Phil, it would not surprise me.
You know, felonious phil has a nice ring to it.
Given where West Palm Beach is (about 50 mi N of Miami) – probably not. And for the same reason, none of them likely type like a 13-year-old teenage girl having a bad day either.
Appointments are tough to get.
He might have to go the extra distance (being driven, of course).
Followed by a meeting with his buddy, “The Drop Zone Loser”.
Just saying.
Jerks. Now, if CBS12 News would be so good as to monitor the VA employee parking lot every Friday from 2:30-5:00 for two or three months, they would really have a story about waste and fraud!
2/17 Air Cav…Roger That!!! The closest VA hospital to me is a NASCAR speedway on Friday’s from about 1PM and on.
2/17
My old wheelchair gave up the ghost last night. Now I’m forced to jump through the hoops and get the new one. While I really need a new one badly I’m dreading this.
Now … for the upside.
The lady from the VA (who shall remain nameless at her request) that has been dealing with me all day has been a perfect angel. She assigned to a brand new Primary Care Team, with an appointment in the next 6 days. So … instead of waiting 30-45 days I’m ahead of the power curve already.
Plus, she took the serial number of my broken wheelchair (which wasn’t purchased by the VA) and got the head of Prosthetics to approve adding it to my file so that the VA can pay to have it fixed.
She’s been absolutely outstanding.
… assigned *me to …
I don’t think anyone would be surprised to hear how common this is. I have heard many stories from folks working in the travel office about Veterans trying to scam the system. That stuff adds up..
Sure as hell does, rb325th. 7 or 8 people riding a free DAV (or AmVets or Am Legion or VFW or . . . . ) van, then claiming a 30- or 40-mile POV R/T each comes to between 210 and 320 miles that the VA’s paying out each time.
Dunno what the VA’s paying per mile these days. But whatever it is, multiply that 210, then by 250 days a year and then by a few hundred hospitals. That kind of fraud does indeed add up.
It’s a start. When do we get to hear good news about posers getting caught defrauding the VA?
The same time you hear about the VA actually firing employees……
Word.
Of course, this frosts me. Our Legion goes once a month. I don’t go every time but nor use the charitable deduction for mileage every time like I see people do. Only when I actually do the driving. Bastards.
The two busiest windows at the VAMC at 23rd Street are the Pharmacy and the Travel.
Yep
This wouldn’t even be an issue if the government didn’t force veteran to travel to subpar care centers.
And even though the VA’s budget is going up this year, substantially as I understand, they’ll still claim that they can’t function because veterans are committing fraud.
These 7 who got caught will probably spend more time in jail than those scumbags at the Phoenix VA who caused deaths with their secret list.
I’d also add, I’m going to take a stab that they were even given “recommendation” to do their vouchers this way because they’ll get more money that way.
I’m not saying what they did was right, but I’m guessing that’s a big part of it too.
Just wish we had names & pics…douchebags like this need to be put on Obamacare.
Thanks for the post John
50,000 and 34,000 bucks? Christ almighty can you say greedy idiots?
Even spread out over a few years that would mean you are constantly at a VA clinic and traveling abut 40 miles round trip.
I think I make about 1o trips a year to the VA total.
That was my first thought. A hundred and fifty grand in travel expenses? Um…OK.
I’ve been going to the VA for 20 years and have yet to file a voucher for travel. Reason? Cumbersome form(s) and waiting in another line. The few pennies for travel does not mean a whole lot if I have to have another line to stand in. But if you fraud your way to a paid voucher, hmmmm, you’re no better than the regular parasites on our Gov’t dole.