Here is a real low life & should get life in prison
Pennsylvania man accused of faking record as Navy SEAL, POW to steal $300K in benefits
Robert Moran, The Philadelphia Inquirer November 26, 2019 at 10:25 AM
A 58-year-old Bucks County man was indicted for falsely claiming he was a Navy SEAL and prisoner of war ? he never served a day in the military ? in order to steal more than $300,000 in government benefits, U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced Monday.
Richard Meleski of Chalfont was arrested and charged in federal court with health-care fraud, mail fraud, stolen valor, and related offenses in connection with his alleged scheme to obtain health-care benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs and disability benefits from the Social Security Administration.
"18 hr hostile takeover. Became POW, during this tour. Beaten, shot, head injury, tortured. Hospitalized in Germany for injuries sustained. Crushed hand. Shrapnel," Meleski wrote, claiming he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of serving as a Navy SEAL in Beirut during the 1980s, according to the indictment.
Meleski claimed he injured his left knee jumping out of a window carrying a dead SEAL on his back, prosecutors allege.
He claimed that he suffered a traumatic brain injury when he jumped through the window and that he "was unable to speak for three months," the indictment says. He allegedly claimed he was awarded the Silver Star for his actions.
In reality, Meleski "never served in the United States military" and was "in the state of New Jersey, not Beirut, at the time of his claimed incidents," according to the indictment.
Because of his false claims, Meleski was given priority over actual veterans and received "completely free health care with no copays or premiums," prosecutors said.
Meleski fraudulently obtained $299,849.31 in health care and $2,271.90 in prescription medications from the VA from 2010 until this year, prosecutors allege.
From 2016 until last year, he claimed that he was unable to work and used the same phony record to obtain disability benefits from Social Security, the indictment allege.
Meleski's claim was initially denied, but he appealed and falsely testified at a hearing about his record. An administrative law judge sided with him, prosecutors said. He then received an unspecified amount of disability payments.
If convicted on all counts, Meleski would face 68 years in prison, $302,121.21 in restitution, and a $2,250,000 fine.
?2019 The Philadelphia Inquirer - Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
:twisted: :twisted:
Robert Moran, The Philadelphia Inquirer November 26, 2019 at 10:25 AM
A 58-year-old Bucks County man was indicted for falsely claiming he was a Navy SEAL and prisoner of war ? he never served a day in the military ? in order to steal more than $300,000 in government benefits, U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced Monday.
Richard Meleski of Chalfont was arrested and charged in federal court with health-care fraud, mail fraud, stolen valor, and related offenses in connection with his alleged scheme to obtain health-care benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs and disability benefits from the Social Security Administration.
"18 hr hostile takeover. Became POW, during this tour. Beaten, shot, head injury, tortured. Hospitalized in Germany for injuries sustained. Crushed hand. Shrapnel," Meleski wrote, claiming he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of serving as a Navy SEAL in Beirut during the 1980s, according to the indictment.
Meleski claimed he injured his left knee jumping out of a window carrying a dead SEAL on his back, prosecutors allege.
He claimed that he suffered a traumatic brain injury when he jumped through the window and that he "was unable to speak for three months," the indictment says. He allegedly claimed he was awarded the Silver Star for his actions.
In reality, Meleski "never served in the United States military" and was "in the state of New Jersey, not Beirut, at the time of his claimed incidents," according to the indictment.
Because of his false claims, Meleski was given priority over actual veterans and received "completely free health care with no copays or premiums," prosecutors said.
Meleski fraudulently obtained $299,849.31 in health care and $2,271.90 in prescription medications from the VA from 2010 until this year, prosecutors allege.
From 2016 until last year, he claimed that he was unable to work and used the same phony record to obtain disability benefits from Social Security, the indictment allege.
Meleski's claim was initially denied, but he appealed and falsely testified at a hearing about his record. An administrative law judge sided with him, prosecutors said. He then received an unspecified amount of disability payments.
If convicted on all counts, Meleski would face 68 years in prison, $302,121.21 in restitution, and a $2,250,000 fine.
?2019 The Philadelphia Inquirer - Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
:twisted: :twisted:
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What? They just took his word for it? Nobody checked him out? How many more are doing the same scam?
Lower than a snake?s belly.0 -
He should be forced to go though SEAL training and SERE School and not be allowed to quit.
Keep him in until he either passes or dies.0 -
When one of these lowlifes are uncovered, all their information and photos should be made public.
Every living vet in the country should be issued a free, no-questions-asked, hunting license with a kill tag attached.
Vets with a valid hunting license can check-out a Humvee, an M-16 and 1000 rounds of ammo from the military base nearest the vet's residence.
Veterans, start your engines!0 -
My question is who fell asleep at the wheel in the veterans office . Do they not check records and verify ones service? Apparently anyone can come in , spin a convincing yarn and walk out with benefits. Not only should his feet be held to the fire but several folks in the local office should lose their jobs 0 -
The VA denied him and a judge over ruled the VA. It in the above information. 0 -
he needs to locked up after being beaten then taken out once a month for another beating 
I have to add this its similar story
where I use to work they would continue paying any one in reserves there full weekly pay when called into duty ( about a 800 to a 1000 a week at that time )
they honestly treated them great same with jury duty full pay while away
now the rest of the story
one fellow he was not even in the military during one the peak times the reserves were being called on ( maybe desert storm I do not remember that part )
filed all the paper work for leave , then went to Florida collected his money all just on his word , even the company news letter had a article on his event and what a great hero . ( yep sitting on a beach )
any way and all was well ,, and I think would have gotten away with it ,,
however the dumb ass came back to work after weeks of collecting cash he was not back long then he was out on a injury filed a claim , he supposedly re-injured a battle injury suffered in action , well the insurance company started digging ... to get the back ground info what had happened ,, ,,, what no army ( government ) info or record of being in the military ?
he was fired quietly and the incident was not spoken of . I do not know if they went after the money or pressed any fraud charges
I truly think they just let it go to avoid the publicity it was huge world wide company the money to them was nothing but bad publicity would have been a lot worse0 -
Did he have a fake DD-214? 0 -
Sam06 wrote:He should be forced to go though SEAL training and SERE School and not be allowed to quit.
Keep him in until he either passes or dies.
there was a time when I woulda took that offer, if I weren't suckered into thinking I would get a job with a college diploma instead0 -
jimdeere wrote:What? They just took his word for it? Nobody checked him out? How many more are doing the same scam?
Lower than a snake?s belly.
Should be a few administrators going down with him as well.0 -
And yet, I could not be seen, except "Out of Pocket," after having documented 5 year Service and a Valid DD-214 in my possession at the Emergency room. (After having screwed up my Knee.)
Almost everyone through the day asked, "What is this "Out of Pocket," BS attached to your file?"
I'd agree. Send his DA through BUDS. No quitting, keep recycling him until he dies or passes. Perfect.
Hell, I SERIOUSLY doubt he could make it out of Marine Boot Camp. Keep recycling him through that, until he dies.0 -
The stolen valor YouTube videos of former seals and buds and udt spec op warfare vets combining to destroy folks claiming to have been a Navy Seal are worth looking into...
I find it absurd how many of this type of criminal are impersonating our Hero's for personal gain and profit or because they are coo coo for cocoa puffs...
They go on TV and radio and online they defraud folks of money - it's absurd...
You should see the fake uniforms and fruit salad and gold braid they adorn themselves with...
Mike0 -
I do recall a post/photo made on these GBGD forums many years ago, about a Poser who showed up at the gate of (Ft. Benning?) to attend the graduation of his Son from Airborne/Basic.
This DA had a totally mismatched (Dress?) Uniform with bloused Desert tan rough out boots. Every Decoration known to man, including Master Diver/Space crap. He was stopped at the gate, and escorted back off base.
That was one of the worse ones I have seen.
The Photo they took of him spoke Volumes.
Anyone recall that?0 -
If one of you would decipher all the fruit salad and gold braid and qual patches and badges and let us know why it's so patently absurd...
Mike0 -
Those Guys stand out like a Sore Thumb, because they insist on wearing every award known to Man. That tends to get noticed.
They all, need a good beat down. Repeatedly.0 -
One is a women who claims 16 years in the USMC - two combat tours - 3 bronze stars - Paris island drill instructor - you should see the stuff she claims to have earned...
Three up and three down with a star - master gunner...
I get conflicted - I must admit that despite the heinous nature of the stolen valor I have been known to crack a smile seeing young active duty folk and guys like we have on the forum tear these yahoo's to pieces...
I know it's not "funny" - my father had the same reaction
Though less obvious to a layman / duffer like me he immediately pointed out obvious glaring errors easy to spot by those who served.
Oh let's not forget our distinguished women vets like locust fork either.
I witnesses a confrontation like this at a Veterans club bar in Arizona - were I was the guest of a navy vet...
Mike0
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