Florida man gets 2 years for using twin’s ID for veterans benefits

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man was sentenced Tuesday to 2 years in federal jail for utilizing his twin brother’s stolen identification to acquire tens of 1000’s of {dollars} in army veterans advantages.

Wayne Bowen, 64, was sentenced in Jacksonville federal court docket, based on court docket data. He pleaded responsible in January to aggravated identification theft. He should additionally pay $63,773 in restitution.

In keeping with a plea settlement, Bowen used the identify, Social Safety card and army discharge papers of his estranged twin brother in 2014 to use for federally backed housing advantages supposed for indigent army veterans. This system was administered by the U.S. Division of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Division of Housing and City Growth.

Bowen admitted to federal brokers that he had been utilizing his brother’s identification for years, prosecutors mentioned. Bowen had obtained a Florida identification card utilizing his twin’s identification. He initially informed the brokers that he and his twin had served in and been honorably discharged from the U.S. Military however later admitted that these have been lies.

Primarily based on Bowen’s fraudulent use of his brother’s identification, the VA offered him with $32,434 in medical providers, HUD offered him with $18,905 in housing subsidies, and the U.S. Division of Agriculture funded $12,434 in dietary advantages for him, officers mentioned. Bowen’s twin, who lives in one other state, confirmed that he didn’t apply for any of the advantages and that he by no means gave Bowen permission to make use of his identify.