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BALTIMORE, MD—A Baltimore County man pleaded guilty to wire fraud after he lied and said he was paralyzed to receive more than $750,000 in benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland announced this week.
William Rich, 43, of Windsor Mill, received $750,000 in special monthly compensation, caregiver assistance compensation, and medical equipment, according to the guilty verdict.
Rich served in the Army from 1998 to 2007 and sustained injuries in Iraq, including temporary paralysis, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. He filed for VA disability benefits six weeks after his injuries and was granted permanent disability from 2007.
The Office of Inspector General for the Department of Veterans Affairs began looking into Rich’s conduct in 2018.
Over the next two years, agents with the Office of Inspector General secretly filmed Rich walking, going up and down stairs, entering and leaving vehicles, and lifting, bending, and carrying items – all without any visible limitation or assistance of a medical device, including a wheelchair.
The only time agents observed Rich use a wheelchair was when he went to VA medical appointments.
Rich also received grants from the VA for “Automobile and Adaptive Equipment,” and “Specially Adapted Housing.” With the money, he bought a luxury sports coupe.
Rich is facing a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. His sentencing has not been scheduled yet.
This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.
Photo by Sora Shimazaki from Pexels
