Ringleader pleads guilty in fraud scheme targeting 3,300 veterans
A man who led an international fraud ring that stole personal data from more than 3,300 service members and veterans has pleaded guilty in federal court, the Department of Justice announced.
Snapshot
A 45-year-old man, formerly of the Philippines, pleaded guilty Oct. 20 in San Antonio federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, according to the DOJ. Authorities said he led a scheme that diverted military benefit payments into accounts the group controlled, stealing millions between July 2014 and 2019 from victims that included a former prisoner of war and veterans with service-related disabilities.
Key points
- The scope: The DOJ said the scheme affected at least 3,300 service members and veterans over a five-year span, with some victims elderly or disabled.
- The co-conspirators: Four others were charged alongside him, who officials identified as the ringleader; Two of them had already pleaded guilty, receiving sentences of more than 12 years and 46 months respectively.
- The penalties ahead: The ringleader faces up to 20 years in prison on the charges, with sentencing set for January before U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia.
- The bigger picture: FTC data cited by the DOJ shows military members, veterans and families reported losing $684 million to fraud in 2025, part of why the department launched its National Fraud Enforcement Division in April.
Quick take
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva called the scheme a betrayal of people who "have given so much," and DCIS Director James Ives echoed that the targeting of veterans was "reprehensible." The case underscores how organized, patient and lucrative fraud against the military community has become — and why federal investigators are putting more resources behind catching it.
Read the full story: military.com