A Rhode Island lady was charged in federal court docket Monday with fraudulently claiming to be a U.S. Marine Corps veteran with lung most cancers in a scheme to gather tons of of hundreds of dollars in veterans advantages and charitable contributions.
Rhode Island U.S. Lawyer Zachary Cunha stated Sarah Jane Cavanaugh, 31, of Warwick, is charged with utilizing solid or counterfeited army discharge certificates, wire fraud, fraudulently holding herself out to be a medal recipient with intent to acquire cash, property, or different tangible profit, and aggravated id theft.
There is no such thing as a document of Cavanaugh ever serving within the U.S. army, Cunha stated.
Cavanaugh appeared in U.S. District Court docket in Windfall and was launched on a $50,000 unsecured bond. Her legal professional didn't instantly reply to an e-mail request for remark and the agency, Marin and Barrett, Inc., advised a reporter who known as that they had been busy Monday coping with present consumer points that want undivided consideration.
Cavanaugh labored on the Veterans Affairs Medical Middle in Windfall. She's accused of accessing the data for a Marine who makes use of VA providers and utilizing them to falsify army discharge paperwork, and likewise utilizing her work e-mail to buy and later show on a Marine uniform a Purple Coronary heart and Bronze Star, based on court docket paperwork.
Cavanaugh did so to request monetary help and falsely declare that she was being handled for lung most cancers from publicity to burn pits in conflict zones and inhaling particulate matter from a bomb explosion, Cunha stated.
Posing as a fight veteran, Cavanaugh collected $207,000 from the Wounded Warrior program to pay for groceries and bodily remedy, collected about $18,500 in monetary help from "Code of Assist" in Virginia for mortgage funds, repairs to her residence furnace, a health club membership and different payments, and $4,700 from a fundraising web site, Cunha stated.
Claiming to be a Purple Coronary heart and Bronze Star recipient, Cavanaugh collected $16,000 from one other charity that gives remedy for veterans by artwork applications, CreatiVets, based on court docket paperwork.
An investigation was launched after the Windfall nonprofit HunterSeven contacted the Windfall VA as a result of they had been suspicious of Cavanaugh's attraction to them. The group helps veterans with most cancers.
Government Director Chelsey Simoni stated Monday they'd issued a $3,000 test to Cavanaugh in January however canceled it as soon as they realized she was mendacity about service, partly as a result of one other feminine Marine advised them that she would've identified about Cavanaugh in the event that they served on the identical time and Cavanaugh actually did earn a Purple Coronary heart and Bronze Star for valor.
Simoni stated that what upsets her most is that Cavanaugh took up time she may've used to assist veterans who do have most cancers.
"I used to be in ache for her. I listened to her, all the things a nurse ought to do," she stated. "She not solely abused that, she took my compassion and lied. In the meantime we may have put our providers elsewhere. That is what bothers me."