Roy Lee Ross Jr., an Army deserter from Morgantown, N.C., faces up to 35 years in prison after defrauding the VA out of more than $150,000 in medical care and financial compensation. The 64-year-old coward and con-man falsely claimed to have been wounded in combat while serving with Special Forces in Vietnam. Ross purposely misrepresented himself to the Charles George VA Medical Center and was diagnosed with PTSD in 2007. He received a retroactive payment of $18,349, a monthly tax-free sum of $1,026 which would later increase to $2,906.83 a month, and extensive medical care totaling up to $57,000. It has been revealed that Ross received the injuries while driving drunk in Europe and was dishonorably discharged shortly after being determined to be absent without leave while stationed in Hawaii.
Military records show that Ross was not involved with Special Forces. He served as a medical assistant before his discharged under non-honorable conditions. His claims that he sustained the injuries during 17 years of service in Vietnam, Cambodia, Libya, Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Korea. He told doctors he was shot twice throughout his service, once in the neck and once in the ankle. Military records show that Ross had not spent any time in several of the countries he claimed to have operated in and never served in Korea, where he claims to have been shot. He fabricated elaborate stories to trick doctors into believing he was suffering from PTSD-related nightmares 4-5 times a week. He told one doctor during a visit:
“he had served in combat in Vietnam, where he had been traumatized seeing numerous dead bodies; that he had witnessed a fellow soldier pick up a crying baby, but a bomb exploded, killing (them) and caused the defendant to lose consciousness,”
Ross reportedly received free healthcare from the facility 70 times and submitted false milage compensation claims every single time for at total of $1,500 in compensation. He took education classes totaling up to $10,000 in taxpayer money that he would not have qualified for if he was forthcoming about his dishonorable discharge. Ross was able to secure these benefits by earning a 60% disability rating from VA doctors due to the injuries he received during his drunken joyride that were falsely attributed to combat injuries.
Ross is currently awaiting trial. He is being charged with one count of executing a scheme to defraud a health benefit organization, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Two counts of making false statements in connection with the delivery of health care benefits by the VA, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.. Two counts of stealing from the VA, a charge that carries a potential maximum prison term of five years and a $250,000 fine, and one count of a making false claim for travel benefits from the VA, which carries a potential maximum prison term of five years and a $250,000 fine
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