Eric T. Nakamura, 49, of Beaufort, S.C., has admitted to fabricating a violent assault at Hunter Army Airfield and lying to federal investigators in a case that wasted military resources and exploited national tensions over anti-Asian violence. Nakamura pleaded guilty to one count of False Statement Made to a Department or Agency of the United States, according to David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
The staged incident occurred on July 20, 2020, when Nakamura claimed he was stabbed and robbed inside the lab where he worked by an unknown assailant wearing an Army uniform with the name tape “Brown.” He told investigators he was attacked with a knife by a stranger on post—a report that triggered a full CID investigation into what appeared to be a targeted assault on federal property.
But the story unraveled when Army Criminal Investigation Command agents reviewed surveillance footage from a building across the street. Faced with irrefutable video evidence contradicting his claims, Nakamura admitted he had stabbed himself with a kitchen knife in a desperate bid to make the hoax believable. There was no intruder. No robbery. Just a self-inflicted wound and a web of lies.
“At a time when there is heightened awareness in the United States regarding attacks on Asian-Americans, it is repulsive that Eric Nakamura would fake his own assault,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Estes. “Army investigators did outstanding work in exposing his false claims and exonerating potential suspects.”
Supervisory Special Agent Michael David of the U.S. Army CID’s Hunter Army Airfield office condemned Nakamura’s actions as a serious breach of trust. “Deliberately lying to our agents about being attacked on this installation showed poor judgement,” David said. “Mr. Nakamura’s guilty plea demonstrates the level of commitment our CID agents have toward finding the truth.”
Nakamura now faces up to five years in federal prison, hefty financial penalties, and up to five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was investigated by U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command and is being prosecuted by Southern District of Georgia Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Darron J. Hubbard.
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Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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