VA Watchdog dot Org - VA NEWS FLASH - 10-13-2007 #3 -- MAN SENTENCED FOR STEALING VA DISABILITY CHECKS -- He stole the victim's VA checks, forged the victim's signature and gave them to another man to cash and deposit. The two split the proceeds.

Tired of Going Around in Circles with the VA? Not Getting the Benefits You Earned? We Will Fight to Obtain ALL Possible VA Benefits. Admitted to U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans' Claims. Nationwide Practice.

DILLEY LAW FIRM
CALL TOLL-FREE
1-800-460-0111
click for more info

VA Watchdog Stuff
cups, hats, shirts
click here to
support the site

Be sure to get all four
VA Watchdog dot Org
RSS feeds --
Daily VA
News Flashes
House CVA
Veterans' News
Senate CVA
Veterans' News
VA Press
Releases

Download your
free copy of the
2007 VA benefits
handbook here...

MAN SENTENCED FOR STEALING VA DISABILITY CHECKS --

He stole the victim's VA checks, forged the victim's

signature and gave them to another man to cash

and deposit. The two split the proceeds.

Story here... http://www.billingsgazette
.net/articles/2007/10/12/news/lo
cal/48-stealing.txt

Story below:

-------------------------

Man sentenced for stealing checks

By Gazette News Services

A Georgia man who schemed to steal $11,000 in Veterans Affairs benefits will spend six months in federal prison.

U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull on Thursday sentenced Lowell Timothy Howell, 45, at the midrange of the advisory guidelines and ordered him to pay $11,778 in restitution.

Howell and his co-defendant, James Gus Georgacopoulos, 61, of Billings, admitted to stealing VA checks intended for another person when Georgacopoulos worked as a desk clerk at the Esquire Hotel in Billings.

Howell pleaded guilty in July to conspiracy and theft of government money.

Georgacopoulos pleaded guilty to the same counts Wednesday and will be sentenced Jan. 9.

Article continues below:

MONEY TALKS NEWS VIDEOS -- MONEY-SAVING TIPS FOR YOU
(use left/right arrows in screen to view more videos) Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Rostad said that in 2005, Georgacopoulos stole the victim's VA checks, forged the victim's signature and gave them to Howell to cash and deposit. T

he two split the proceeds.

A former desk clerk also saw Georgacopoulos take the victim's mail from the hotel and sign his name on some of the checks, Rostad said.

Investigators interviewed the victim, who currently is an inmate in a Florida jail.

The scheme involved 11 checks totaling $11,778.

Georgacopoulos faces a possible 15 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

Cebull released him until sentencing.

-------------------------

Larry Scott --

Don't forget to read all of today's VA News Flashes (click here)

Click here to make VA Watchdog dot Org your homepage

email Larry

(go back to VA Watchdog dot Org Home Page)

Has Uncle Sam turned his back
on your request
for VA benefits?

Contact LEGAL HELP FOR VETERANS for assistance with the benefits you deserve.
click for more info

VA Watchdog Stuff
cups, hats, shirts
click here to
support the site