Christopher A. Mann, $940K Military Gear Theft, Hampton VA, 2023

Christopher A. Mann, 33, of Hampton, Virginia, has been sentenced to 20 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $940,460 in restitution after pleading guilty to stealing nearly a million dollars in military supplies from Fort Bragg. The Army sergeant abused his role as a supply specialist in the 98th Civil Affairs Battalion, C Company, to systematically siphon off Meals-Ready-to-Eat (MREs), weapon sights, knives, and tactical sunglasses between October 2010 and March 2013.

Mann didn’t just pocket gear—he ran a black-market pipeline. Using false requisition memos, he made it appear his unit needed the equipment for training, then hauled the stolen goods off base to cash-paying buyers in Fayetteville. The scheme was brazen, exploiting supply chains meant to support frontline troops. The U.S. Army Special Operations Command, already operating under intense mission demands, was left short on critical resources—all so Mann could line his pockets.

Frank Robey, director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit, called the sentencing a win for accountability. ‘Our special agents go to great lengths to identify and help bring to justice those who think they can rip off the U.S. Government at will,’ Robey said. ‘We will continue to aggressively investigate these criminal acts with all assets at our disposal.’

John F. Khin, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s Southeast Field Office, slammed Mann’s betrayal of trust. ‘This former Non-Commissioned Officer assigned as a Supply Sergeant in an elite military unit stole essential supplies and equipment from his unit for personal profit,’ Khin said. ‘Corruption and theft on this large scale undermines the integrity of the Department of Defense, wastes precious American taxpayer dollars, and severely degrades the ability of our Warfighters to conduct combat missions.’

Two co-conspirators have already pleaded guilty. Joseph Horner, a civilian black-market buyer in Fayetteville, routinely purchased stolen MREs and gear from Mann. John McCaa, a civilian contractor working in the Special Forces dining facility, authorized the release of over 1,700 cases of MREs knowing the requests were fraudulent. McCaa also helped connect Mann with black-market contacts to offload the stolen goods. Both await sentencing.

John Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, emphasized the broader fallout: ‘These former soldiers utilized their positions as public officials to steal supplies and equipment for their personal financial gain. Offenses such as these not only cost the Army precious resources, but also cost the taxpayer. The FBI will continue to work with its investigative partners to combat this corruption.’ Mann was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III in Raleigh, bringing a hard end to a theft that struck at the heart of military readiness.