Would you let the VA go through your wallet?

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 08:44:58 -0400

Through the program, the VA appoints and oversees fiduciaries to help veterans who are ill, injured or mentally incapacitated handle their benefits. A VA Inspector General report in 2010 found that fiduciaries had stolen nearly $15 million from veterans between 1998 and 2010, and a more recent review found persistent problems with the program and millions more stolen.

The review found that the Veterans Benefits Administration failed to meet its own deadlines to conduct field examinations of fiduciaries in 42 percent of cases, putting more than $800 million in benefits and estate values at risk.

Testimony from the VA Inspector General’s office also highlighted egregious examples of fraud. In one case, a Houston attorney who served as a guardian for 54 veterans conspired with his wife to steal more than $2 million from veterans’ bank accounts. Some of the cases detailed in written testimony from the VA Inspector General describe fiduciaries stealing from incapacitated relatives, including a New Hampshire woman who was incarcerated for a year after stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from her father.

http://www.stripes.com/news/veterans/ailing-veterans-still-at-risk-of-theft-from-those-appointed-by-va-1.351839

Ailing veterans still at risk of theft from those appointed by VA

Despite years of restructuring, a Department of Veterans Affairs financial management program still lacks enough oversight to prevent fiduciaries from stealing millions from vulnerable veterans, according to testimony Thursday in front of a Congressional committee.

Response by Sgt David G Duchesneau made Jun 12 at 2015 8:47 AM

Sgt David G Duchesneau — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 08:47:11 -0400

Got nothing to hide!

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jun 12 at 2015 8:53 AM

PO1 John Miller — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 08:53:32 -0400

I'd like to see them try.

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Jun 12 at 2015 9:24 AM

PO3 Steven Sherrill — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 09:24:03 -0400

This is ridiculous. Really? Who does that. It is like those asshats that work in elderly care and rob them. They should be locked away,

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 12 at 2015 1:51 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 13:51:59 -0400

Does anything the VA does surprise anyone? it shouldn't.

Response by SSG Trevor S. made Jun 12 at 2015 2:33 PM

SSG Trevor S. — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 14:33:41 -0400

I hate to say it, but it is time to turn CID and the FBI loose on the VA. I want to see people do the shuffle of shame in front of cameras in hand cuffs and leg irons. This organization is despicable from the top down.
VA Secretary makes false Stolen Valor claims
The director in Phoenix, as well as minions in her evil clan, skate on red taping veterans into waiting until they die, only to be sacked for ethics in other areas.
VA employees making fun of the suicide rate.
A climate of claims processing designed to add extra layers in appeals instead of doing it right the first go around in some attempt to either commit fraud against Veterans, or to justify another layer of bureaucratic employees.
Now straight theft.
It's time for a big change, and part of that change deserves some gated community time IMO.

Response by Sgt Spencer Sikder made Jun 14 at 2015 9:39 AM

Sgt Spencer Sikder — Sun, 14 Jun 2015 09:39:44 -0400

One of the results of a patient indicating to their VA providers, that they are having trouble remembering or that their spouse handles all the business matters and low and behold a fiduciary is assigned.

In reality many patients are very competent in handling their business matters, it's just a compromised within families one does these chores, the other one does those chores. It's not like either of them couldn't keep up with their checkbook.