Virginia school official Jeffrey Williams, 37, of Alexandria, pleaded guilty to his role in a scheme to defraud the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of nearly $3 million. The crime occurred from approximately July 2022 to May 2024, when Williams was a career services manager at an educational institution offering veterans educational programs in cyber that could be paid for by the VA.
According to court documents, Williams used false records to defraud the VA of millions of dollars. As part of the scheme, he created fraudulent employment offer letters, falsified certifications, and forged veterans’ signatures to make it appear as if veterans had attained the meaningful employment needed for the educational institution to receive tuition payments from the government.
Williams caused the submission of hundreds of false documents to the VA, claiming approximately $2.9 million in fraudulent tuition payments for at least 189 veterans. The VA Office of Inspector General is investigating the case.
The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Prosecutors, including Trial Attorney Lauren Archer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Harvey for the Eastern District of Virginia, are pursuing the case.
The VA and the U.S. government have a duty to ensure that taxpayer dollars are used to support and empower veterans. The guilty plea of Jeffrey Williams is a significant step towards holding individuals accountable for their actions.
In total, Williams’ scheme resulted in the defrauding of nearly $3 million from the VA. The exact date of sentencing has not been announced.
Related Federal Cases
- Keisha L. Williams, Wire Fraud, Virginia 2024 · Alabama
- Jeffrey Harrington, Wire Fraud Conspiracy, California 2024 · North Carolina
- William E. Grobes, IV, Wire Fraud and Money Laundering, Virginia 2016 · Alabama
- Michael Paul Riebe, Wire Fraud and Mail Fraud, Virginia 2014 · Virginia
- Deborah Diana Lawson, Wire Fraud, Virginia 2023 · New York
Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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