Man swindles $63K in veterans benefits by posing as twin brother in Florida, feds say
A north Florida man accused of stealing his twin brother’s identity to pocket thousands in government benefits meant for military veterans may be headed to prison, federal authorities say.
Wayne Bowen, 64, of Jacksonville faces up to two years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to an aggravated identity theft charge related to the years-long scheme, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Middle Florida announced Thursday, Jan. 27.
A public defender representing Bowen did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment.
Prosecutors accused Bowen of using the name, Social Security card and discharge papers of his twin brother, a U.S. Army veteran, to apply for subsidized housing in 2014, according to a news release. He continued posing as his brother until 2018, court documents show, swindling the government out of $63,773 in federal benefits.
Under the terms of a plea agreement, Bowen will have to pay back every penny.
“The defendant pleaded guilty today for his abhorrent conduct in defrauding multiple federal and state benefit programs by assuming the identify of his twin brother who had justly earned these benefits,” Special Agent in Charge David Spilker of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office said in a statement.
“The VA OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure the integrity of VA’s benefit programs,” Spilker said.
Bowen not only used the ruse to apply for housing subsidies intended for cash-strapped veterans but was also granted nearly $19,000 in benefits from the U.S. Housing Department, prosecutors allege. Additionally, the Department of Veterans Affairs provided him $32,434 in medical services on top of the $12,434 in nutritional benefits he received from the Department of Agriculture, according to the release.
While posing as his brother, Bowen was arrested and twice landed in prison, according to the plea agreement. Prosecutors said he eventually admitted to using his twin’s identity for “four or five years” because he “owed child support, was having financial problems, and was abusing drugs and alcohol.”
Bowen also told investigators that he served and had been honorably discharged from the U.S. Army, both of which turned out to be untrue, prosecutors said.
His brother, whom prosecutors identified only as “W.B.,” denied applying for any of the federal benefits and told investigators he never gave Bowen permission to use his name.
This story was originally published January 27, 2022 at 1:39 PM with the headline "Man swindles $63K in veterans benefits by posing as twin brother in Florida, feds say."