A Newburgh woman is facing federal charges for defrauding military charities and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and falsely claiming to be a Purple Heart recipient.
Sharon Toney-Finch, 43, was arrested today and will be presented in White Plains federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy.
According to the indictment, Toney-Finch engaged in a scheme to defraud donors to her charitable organization by falsely claiming that donation funds would be spent solely to support homeless military veterans, when in fact she spent the funds on personal expenses.
Toney-Finch also allegedly falsely claimed to have survived and been injured in a terrorist attack in Iraq in 2010, and that she is a Purple Heart recipient.
The indictment charges Toney-Finch with wire fraud, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; theft of government funds, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison; stolen valor, which carries a maximum potential sentence of one year in prison; and altering military discharge paperwork, which carries a maximum potential sentence of one year in prison.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams praised the work of the FBI Hudson Valley White Collar Crime Task Force, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, and other law enforcement partners for bringing today’s charges and exposing Toney-Finch’s attempt to profit on stolen valor.
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “Sharon Toney-Finch allegedly engaged in a series of lies in which she misappropriated donations for military charities and falsely nominated herself as a Purple Heart recipient to receive illicit disability benefits. Acts of stolen valor are especially egregious as they distract from sacrifices of those who were truly injured defending our nation.”
Toney-Finch is scheduled to appear in court today. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Related Federal Cases
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- FLA. Men Bilked Victims of $12M in Fake Loan Scheme · New York
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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