Police are on the hunt for a woman who stands accused of stealing $8,500 from a bank by using a fraudulent military identification card.
The Shreverport Police Department in Louisiana has asked for the public’s help in identifying the unknown woman, who is accused of stealing the money on July 15, at BOM Bank.
Police said the woman used the ID to obtain a cash advance on the victim’s credit line. Bank representatives reportedly thought the ID was legitimate until the victim later discovered the unauthorized withdrawal and confirmed they had not allowed anyone else to access their account.
In a Facebook post, police called this “an especially disgusting” incident of stolen valor and stolen identity.
“Countless men and women have sacrificed years away from their families, endured deployments, suffered injuries, and in some cases given their lives while serving this country,” the post says. “To use a fraudulent military ID as a prop to steal someone else’s identity and money is beyond shameless. There is nothing honorable about pretending you earned something others sacrificed greatly for.
“You didn’t serve. You didn’t sacrifice. You allegedly used the appearance of military service to help steal $8,500. Now, we need the public’s help identifying her.”
As of Friday, no update was provided by the department conveying that the suspect had been arrested.
Anyone with information in the Shreveport case is advised to contact the Shreveport Police Department or Shreveport-Caddo Crime Stoppers.
Other Similar Incidents
There have been other recent investigations into fraud.
Earlier this month, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado alleged that Jonica Woodward, 47, presented a military ID and a VA card in the name of an account holder at the Pinnacle Bank in Memphis, Colo, in an attempt to steal nearly $8,900.
This week, a U.S. Army veteran was convicted of defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of over $170,000 in caregiver benefit payments.
A federal jury found James Bradford, 49, of Kansas, guilty of one count of conspiracy to defraud the government and one count of theft of public money, property or records, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Kansas.
The office said that from August 2014 to July 2023, Bradford and his caregiver provided false and fraudulent statements concerning the level of care he needed in order to claim benefits.
Earlier this month, a woman pleaded guilty to stealing $160,000 worth of veterans’ and social security benefits that were meant for a family member.
Barbara Ferrell, a 63-year-old woman from Seth, W. Va., pleaded guilty to theft of government money, admitting she stole approximately $160,394.02 while serving as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) appointed fiduciary and Social Security Administration (SSA) representative for a family member.
The DOJ announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division on April 7 aimed “to zealously investigate and prosecute” those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars, as part of President Donald Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud that is chaired by Vice President JD Vance.
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