Posted on 10/08/2007 5:45:10 AM PDT by KeyLargo
Fraud busters on rise against fake veterans
Web, federal law help to expose military charlatans
By Russell Working, Tribune staff reporter Freelancer Matt Baron contributed to this report
October 8, 2007
When Douglas E. Robinson showed up in Yorkville saying he was a homeless Vietnam veteran who had lost everything in Hurricane Katrina, the American Legion post took pity on a former comrade in arms, giving him nearly $400 and paying for a few nights' lodging.
But Robinson and his wife's aggressive demands for money and slip-ups in his story led Kendall County sheriff's deputies to investigate. It turned out he had never served in the military, officials allege.
Robinson was lodged in Kendall County Jail last week on charges of stealing government-supported property and fraud in seeking veterans' benefits. The allegations, if true, are part of a rising flood of cases nationwide in which officials and private sleuths -- aided by the Internet and a new federal law -- are exposing hustlers and charlatans who claim benefits or honors that aren't theirs.
Fraud busters, many of them infuriated veterans, could get a boost in their efforts under a bill introduced Wednesday in Congress that would create a publicly searchable database of the nation's top medals, making it easier for police, reporters and officials to verify claims.
The bill, sponsored by U.S. Rep. John Salazar (D-Colo.), follows up on December's Stolen Valor Act, which expanded federal authority to prosecute those who falsely claim or display military honors.
The crimes are not victimless, say the determined sleuths who spend hours scanning the Internet and filing Freedom of Information Act requests to expose glory hogs. Phonies warp the historical record, scam taxpayers of millions of dollars and in some cases even put troops in the field at risk......
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
sponsored by U.S. Rep. John Salazar (D-Colo.)
..wow an old school Dem!
The Tribune is going to get a nasty letter from Harry Reid.
“Fake veterans” . . . . ??
PC speech for “phoney soldiers”??!!
Don’t let Harry Reid hear about this.
> Very unusual for the Chicago “Lib-une” to publish such an article. Especially since MSM is in the pocket of the Dims and Harry Reid.
I think you do the Tribune a grave disservice: I’ve been a regular reader of the ‘Trib for nearly 20 years, and correspond regularly with several of their columnists.
They tend to report the news in a fair and even-handed manner, and have a healthy balance between Liberal and Conservative viewpoints.
I generally use the Tribune as a good and reliable instrument to see how “how the winds are blowing” in US public opinion, and have found it to be unfailingly accurate.
Anyrate, that’s not why I am posting. The article says:
>> The crimes are not victimless, say the determined sleuths who spend hours scanning the Internet and filing Freedom of Information Act requests to expose glory hogs. Phonies warp the historical record, scam taxpayers of millions of dollars and in some cases even put troops in the field at risk......
These scam artists indeed do all of this, plus a whole lot more.
They use their phony “credentials” to gain access to positions of trust, which they then abuse — often to criminal ends. Senior positions of trust that they would otherwise have no access to except for the lies and phony credentials.
“Stolen valor” is often an excellent marker-crime for deeper dishonesty in other areas of their lives: it is a fraud, after all. Fraudsters tend not to be fraudsters only in one area of their lives: they tend to be uniformly dishonest, so chances are they are doing something else dodgy as well.
I wish I had a dollar for every Volunteer Candidate who sought to join our Guardian Angels Chapters in NZ by claiming to be “ex-SAS” or “ex-Navy Seal” or “ex-Marines” — naturally, I would give my left nut to have a real one join us.
Yet not one real one ever has. I’ve had plenty of crims try, tho’. These people must think I am credulous, and will never check: it is very easy to do. Yet obviously lots of people don’t check, when they should.
And so I encourage everyone to check whenever someone makes big claims of valor. It is easy enough to do, and if you need help doing it, FReepmail me.
*DieHard*
I went to pownetwork.org. Unbelievable.
Read some of the disgusting “apologies”. They now claim victim status as a result of having been exposed as phonies, their lives are now ruined, can’t sleep at night, yada yada yada.
I think I will donate to pownetwork.org. They are doing wonderful work.
I was reading the same things...that ol’ ‘speedaddiction’ from FR was on there...
They still exist! BUMP!!!!
Speedaddiction. LMAO.
I remember that phony.
What does it mean when the apology is void?
I love that site. Having a down day? Feeling kind of sorry for yourself? Go onto that site, and you won’t feel bad for long, because at least you’re better than one of those losers.
Some favorites include Karczewski, and Martinez, Manuel, “Manny”.
They’ve apologized, but then go back to lying about their status.
Isn’t it a federal offense to falsely wear US military medals?
Reading on he started posted fake information again on cycleforums. Never thought that guy ever told the truth about anything. LMAO.
Related with EXCELLENT posts:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1907417/posts
Accused Phony War Hero in Court Today in Texas
That dude didn’t pass the smell test from day one.
Ping me if DITHF shows up. ;)
The phonies have been Limbaughed...
Which site did you find him on?
I’d sorta been wondering whatever happened to him ... just sort of vanished a while back ...
***part of a rising flood of cases nationwide in which officials and private sleuths***
Those private sleuths would be Pajama Patrol.
Thanks. Found him. Yuck
ROTFLMAO!! Only a sea going former-Navy swab would understand that! LOL! I’m no BM but have lots of buddies that were for sure. Besides, when you’re aboard ship, you’re all in it together whatever happens. A YoYo can find himself fighting a fire next to a BM.
And then some. Thank you Mr Burkett for clearning th enames and reputations of so many Viet Nam veterans and for setting into a motion an Act that can prevent the same things - Iraq is Winter Soldier Redux - from happening again with the veterans of the WoT.
“I generally use the Tribune”
Huh?
I generally use the Trubune for wrapping fish if someone gives me a free paper.
http://patterico.com/2006/01/19/tribune-company-revenue-stock-value-down/
This is being touted as a positive. I am not so sure..
My view is it will make it that much easier for Mud Slimes and other Anti-American types to target Veterans, Active GI’s and their families.
To address some of those concerns already the Air Force was working on eliminating the Blue and Red DOD stickers on POV Vehicles.
I think a better solution would be to issue a ID Card to all honorably discharged Veterans. An Electronic Copy of their DD214 with awards etc encrypted into the card. (Those of us that are retired, reserve already have ID Cards.) Probably a good Idea for IRR as well..
Creating some sort of new broadly accessible database means the darn thing will be compromised. VA records have, Active Records have in part.
Many of us have already received letters on several occasions informing us to look out for misuse of our names and personal information for fraud purposes because of an unintended release of information.
Any Military Database will be based upon our Serial number Social Security number... IMO Bad things will come from this.
Which means of course it will pass in a voice vote of both houses. LOL
W
Treason. NOT it's closest cousin.
“Thank you Congressman Salazar!”
Sorry for being such a cynic, but I call BS on this whole deal.
The word must have gone out after the Petraeus debacle, ‘cause every traitorcrat politician in sight is in full pursuit of long and passionate (do I need to mention EXTREMELY well-publicized?) embrace of all things/arses military.
Particularly if the honoree happens to be a dedicated and registered Dem.
Salazar? Both he and his big brother the Senator are Denver big-time lib lawyers who have a combined level of integrity IMHO someplace below any other trial lawyer (I note the picture with Edwards as evidence and illustration) and generally are phoney as matched three-dollar bills.
>>>>I note the picture with Edwards as evidence and illustration
What picture are you talking about?
That’s not Edwards in your Post 11?
Better go get my eyes checked again, but I stand by everything else I said.
Redoubled in spades.
When does Jon Cary get charged?
> I generally use the Trubune for wrapping fish if someone gives me a free paper.
OK, here’s a practical demonstration of Tribune even-handedness: you get good, balanced reporting of the White Sox even tho’ the paper owns (owned?) the Cubs.
I cannot detect a Liberal bias in the paper: if anything, it leans just slightly toward center-right: like most of America. It has gauged the mood of the Nation rather well. Unlike alot of papers, it is not shrill and it seems to have enjoyed a succession of very good editors and a well-balanced editorial board.
And you gotta give them credit: the paper tends to take a principled stance on issues that matter. For example, the recent prosecutions and convictions for corruption in Illinois have happened, in part, because alot of people asked the right questions long enough and loud enough and often enough until the issue could no longer be ignored. The Tribune certainly played a visible role on that issue, for many years.
I’m no fan of the MSM particularly, but there are plenty of media outlets that do worse. You are lucky in Chicago to have at least one truly decent paper: I’m rather envious.
I am so glad someone is doing this. Totally amazing how many people there are that think nothing of taking/getting what they are not entitled to.
As per usual.
A true hero, not to be confused with the slimy Bill Burkett of Rathergate infamy.
Good. First good thing this liberal's done since he was elected. There must be a lot of veterans in his district.
Back when my wife and I lived in the Seattle area, there was always a couple of the homeless beggers on the sidewalk near the ferry terminal where we caught the ferry back to Bremerton after work. They always had the “old vietnam vet, need help” signs out. One day I stopped and asked them what service they had been in. They said the Army. Then I said, “really, what unit were you in in Vietnam?” That is when the fun began because they could not give me a division they served in. They mumbled around some numbers, but none were actual units. I then said, well I am a Vietnam vet also and retired from the Army. If you don’t know your unit, then I suspect you never were in the Army. One then said, “hey man, leave us alone. We are just trying to get some money for food.” I said, no, you are trying to get money for booze or drugs. Get rid of the sign or I will have a cop out here tomorrow saying that you were aggressive in your pan handling. They got rid of the sign because they did not have it the next day. The homeless in Seattle are not suppose to be aggressive in their pan handling or they can be arrested. They can beg, but not bother. There are plenty of them out there every day. Damned glad we are not there any more to run that every day. Now that I am back here in the south, I have not seen one begger on the street corners with a sign, on the street with a sign, or near the malls with a sign. Wonder where the southern beggers went too? :-)
Oops. Forgot to turn off the italics.
That is Chris Cox in the picture with Salazar. And I don’t care what you stand by in your post. The Stolen Valor Act was a much needed piece of legislature Salazar got on the table and I thank him for it.
I actually AM a former Navy SEAL. Unfortunately, I now work in deep cover for an agency I can’t name, otherwise I’d show you the proof...
I see that the Tribune just couldn't bring themselves to use the phrase "phony soldiers."
-PJ
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.