A 70 year old man was recently sentenced to over seven years in federal prison for falsely claiming to be a service-disabled veteran and war hero in order to obtain nearly $6.8 million dollars in federal contracts set aside under the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOB) Program. This harsh sentence is yet another example of the Federal Government’s increased focus on individuals and companies that misrepresent their size and/or socioeconomic status.
As explained in the Department of Justice’s press release, the convicted man had in fact served in the Missouri National Guard for five years, including six months on active duty, but had never left the state of Missouri. Beginning in 2008, Parker falsely certified that his company was eligible for the SDVOB Program. In March 2011, in order to obtain a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) certification, Parker manufactured a false resume claiming a history of military service that included service in Vietnam, three Purple Hearts, three Silver Stars, 32 citations of heroism, and other imaginary accolades. This false military resume was easily debunked by military and VA records.
Parker pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of making a false statement. He also pleaded guilty to the forfeiture counts, which will result in a $6.8 million judgment for the United States. Among his personal property that was immediately forfeited was a notebook labelled “Book of Death” in which he kept a fictitious list of Vietnam War “sniper kills.”
Parker’s 67 year old wife and 37 year old son were also allegedly involved in the fraudulent operation. They still await trial.
Jeffry Cook is the attorney responsible for the content of this article.