Four people convicted of wire fraud in a scheme that siphoned $6 million in federal funds meant for veterans have been sentenced to prison time, according to U.S. Attorney Duane Evans' office.
James Sinyard and Mary Sinyard of Brandon, Mississippi, John Sutton of Mandeville, and Marc Quiroz of Covington each pleaded guilty this year to federal wire fraud charges.
Through their businesses in Mandeville and Jackson, Mississippi, they submitted applications to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs on behalf of veterans and their surviving spouses and received a total of $6.2 million in misappropriated funds, the U.S. Attorney's office said.
Chief Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown of the Eastern District Court of Louisiana, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, this month sentenced James Sinyard to six months in federal detention, Mary Sinyard to one month, Sutton to two years and Quiroz to 17 months. All four defendants will also serve three years of probation following their release.
The defendants co-owned and operated VetAttend Professional Services, LLC in Mandeville and VetAttend Jackson, LLC in Flowood, Mississippi, from which they ran the scheme from April 2013 to December 2020.
Veterans Affairs Pension, a federal benefit for low-income veterans, pays a monthly subsidy to those eligible. Both branches of VetAttend submitted fraudulent affidavits for home aid services to the government.
Only accredited agencies can provide home services to veterans in need with federal funding, and none of the four defendants were accredited, the U.S. Attorney's office said. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry's office secured an injunction in 2021 shutting down the Louisiana business.
“These sentencings send a clear message that those who would exploit veterans to commit fraud will be investigated and held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper with the Department of Veterans Affairs, in a statement.