A Haines City police captain is among 11 people indicted in a scheme to defraud Veterans Affairs (VA), according to reporting from FOX 13.
Captain Gabriel Garcia, who has served with the department since 2007, is accused of fraudulently obtaining a 100% VA disability rating through a years-long scheme orchestrated by allegedly corrupt VA employees.
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According to the VA, a veteran with a 100% disability rating would receive $3,831.30 per month, with additional payments for each dependent spouse, parent and child under the age of 18.
Federal prosecutors say the scheme, which ran from 2020 to 2025, was orchestrated by Ángel Carrer-Rivera, a now former VA employee in Puerto Rico, and Richard Rivera-Maitin, a veteran and auto shop owner.
How the VA fraud scheme went down
Carrer-Rivera allegedly abused his access to the Veterans Benefits Management System to route claims from the defendants to employees he supervised. Those claims had reportedly been prepped with false medical conditions.
Meanwhile, Rivera-Maitin allegedly coached veterans on what symptoms to claim at doctor’s appointments and charged fees in exchange for helping secure disability ratings. The group created fraudulent claims for lifetime benefits to be submitted and approved, resulting in what officials called a “substantial financial loss” to the United States.
Other defendants in the case include a Department of Homeland Security officer, a flight attendant, Garcia’s mother and other veterans and their spouses. Following Garcia’s arrest, Haines City Police Chief Jay Hopwood released this statement:
“The conduct that led to this arrest is a betrayal of the badge and everything this department stands for. We will not tolerate dishonor in our ranks and will continue holding ourselves to the highest standards of integrity and accountability.”
According to the United States Attorney’s Office, the defendants in this case could face up to five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States and up to 20 years for “substantive and conspiracy mail and wire fraud counts,” Fox 13 reports.
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How common is VA fraud — and what’s being done about it?
Unfortunately, the Haines City case isn’t an isolated incident. VA benefit fraud is a persistent and growing problem, with schemes ranging from exaggerated disability claims to predatory practices by unaccredited advisors. With the VA disbursing more than $135 billion annually in benefits, the system has become an appealing target for scammers.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), veterans reported $292 million in losses due to fraud in 2022. This number includes all scam types — not just benefits fraud — but highlights how aggressively veterans are being targeted.
Some of the more common VA scams include:
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Veterans falsely claiming or exaggerating disabilities, like in the Garcia case.
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So-called “claim sharks” — unaccredited “advisors” who charge veterans fees for services that are otherwise free through the VA.
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Promises to “speed up” applications or guarantee a 100% disability rating, which only the VA can legally determine.
Experts say expansions to VA benefits signed in 2022 — including those tied to toxic exposure and burn pit smoke inhalation — may be fueling fraud attempts by expanding eligibility and creating more opportunities for abuse.
The VA has taken several steps to combat fraud. The 2017 “Seek to Prevent Fraud, Waste and Abuse” program aimed to centralize and strengthen fraud prevention efforts across the VA. More recently, in 2024, the VA and the White House launched VSAFE.gov, a platform providing veterans with resources to identify and report scams.
President Trump also signed an executive order to improve accountability and whistleblower protection within the VA, establishing an office dedicated to these efforts. However, later proposals to cut tens of thousands of VA employees have raised concerns among veteran advocates, who say reducing staff could make it harder to investigate and prevent fraud.
VA Secretary Doug Collins recently reassured veterans that the agency is reinforcing, not cutting, essential services and urged veterans to seek information directly from VA, not third-party claims companies.
As this case shows, fraudulent claims not only steal taxpayer money but also threaten public trust in a system meant to help those who served our country.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
