A Marine Corps Veteran was arrested after making false statements about injuries he sustained while serving in Iraq in order to get a Purple Heart.
Fifty-two-year-old Paul John Herbert allegedly took more than $344,000 in veteran disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Massachusetts.
Herbert was indicted on Friday for one count of theft of government money and one count of making false statements, according to the press release.
“Mr. Herbert’s alleged conduct is an affront to every veteran who has sacrificed to earn the honor of a Purple Heart and who is deserving of disability benefits,” Joshua Levy, a U.S. Attorney said in the statement.
A Marine Corps veteran who falsely claimed to have been the sole survivor of an enemy IED blast in Iraq is now facing federal charges for receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars related to life-altering injuries the feds say never happened. https://t.co/LlAdBKtaXe
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) September 1, 2023
“He not only stole tens of thousands of dollars in disability benefits that are supposed to be used to help veterans in need, but he also falsely claimed to have suffered a traumatic brain injury during his deployment in an effort to receive a Purple Heart he didn’t deserve,” Levy continued.
Between January 1, 2010, and March 11, 2023, Herbert allegedly stole more than $344, 000 in veterans disability benefits. Herbert also allegedly filled out an application for a Purple Heart award through his local United States Congressman, according to the indictment.
On his application, Herbert allegedly claimed he had suffered a traumatic brain injury from a roadside explosion while serving in Iraq, according to the indictment.
If found guilty of theft of government money, the charge carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or roughly double the gross gain or loss.
The charge for making false statements carries a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000, according to the press release.
