Base Allowance for Housing and Travel Voucher Fraud
All branches of the Armed Forces are cracking down on Base Allowance for Housing [1] (BAH) and Travel Voucher Fraud[2] and abuse. Using targeted investigations and random audits, various command auditors are focusing on service members taking advantage of these sources of additional cash.
BAH and Travel Voucher fraud prosecutions uncover recurring patterns including:
- Fake rental agreements
- False home or record information
- Family living in low-cost area, but claiming a high-cost address
- Fake marriages / Falsified marriage documents
- Divorces never reported to base finance office and/or DFAS
- False claim of having dependents
- Claiming elevated numbers of dependents
- False travel claims
- Inflated number of trips
- Mileages inflated / Trip distances exaggerated
- False requests for reimbursement
BAH and Travel Voucher Fraud Concerns
If you are being investigated for or have been charged with BAH or Travel Voucher Fraud, there are many concerns including:
Greg Gagne, Military Lawyer. Call (773) 899-2514 now for a FREE consultation.
- False Official Statement: For one to be found guilty of False Official Statement in the context of a fraud case, the government must prove that the service member completed the form with the intent to deceive. That is, it is not enough for the government to merely show that the service member completed the form incorrectly. For example, a service member can make a mistake in completing a travel voucher or BAH authorization thus making it false, but may not be guilty of a false official statement if it was an honest mistake or done without the intent to deceive.
- Larceny: For one to be found guilty of Larceny, the government must prove that the service member received money that he knew he was not entitled to receive and kept that money with the intent of never returning it. That is, it is not enough for the government to show that the service member merely received money that he was not entitled to receive; rather the government must prove that the service member knew that he received and kept money that he was not entitled to .
Call Gagne, Scherer & Associates, LLC today to schedule a consultation with a civilian military criminal defense lawyer.
Any military member that has been accused of BAH or Travel Voucher fraud should retain legal counsel as soon as possible to discuss their options. The government will be eager to initiate UCMJ action against a service member once it learns to that the service member has received money improperly. They will assume that the service member intended to defraud the government. It is imperative to contact an experienced military criminal defense attorney to examine the government’s evidence and to develop a strong defense. To schedule a free case evaluation with one of our military fraud and larceny attorneys, call our office today at 877-867-5247.
References:
[1] http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/bah.cfm
[2] https://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers/travelpay/information/
