Priscilla Sumner, Theft of Government Money, Florida 2024

Orlando, Florida – A 70-year-old woman from Lake Mary, Florida, has pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $150,000 of Veterans Affairs funds. Priscilla Sumner, a fiduciary for a disabled family member’s VA benefits, is facing a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.

According to the plea agreement, Sumner failed to notify the VA of a change in the beneficiary’s living situation that would have reduced the benefits amount in February 2015. She used the excess funds, which were no longer needed to care for the disabled veteran, to pay her own personal expenses and falsified VA accounting forms to cover up her misuse of the funds.

The investigation found that Sumner had misused nearly $149,084.45 of the VA benefits. As part of her plea, she has agreed to forfeit the proceeds of her criminal conduct. Sumner is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, 2024.

The case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Suzanne Huyler and Matthew Del Mastro.

Sumner’s actions demonstrate a serious breach of trust and a blatant disregard for the law. The VA benefits were meant to support a disabled veteran, not to line the pockets of a greedy individual.

The guilty plea is a significant victory for the victims of Sumner’s crimes, who will now see justice served. We hope that this case will serve as a warning to others who would seek to exploit the system for their own gain.

The prosecution of financial crimes is a top priority for our office, and we will continue to work tirelessly to hold accountable those who would seek to steal from our veterans and other vulnerable individuals.

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