Tampa Woman Found Guilty Of Stealing Funds From Disabled Veterans

TAMPA, FL —Melanie Marshall, aka Melanie Gutermuth, 38, of Tampa has been found guilty of stealing money from the Department of Veterans Affairs that was intended to assist disabled vets to get jobs.

United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced that a federal jury convicted Marshall of theft of government funds. Marshall faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 14. Marshall was indicted on December 19, 2018.

According to evidence presented at trial, Marshall stole from the Department of Veterans Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program. Marshall was eligible for the VRE program, which was designed to assist veterans with service-connected disabilities prepare for, find and maintain suitable employment, but lied to her VA vocational rehabilitation counselor to continue receiving benefits beyond what had been approved.

Marshall signed an Individualized Written Rehabilitation Plan with the stated objective of completing a bachelor of science degree in public health and health education. Marshall graduated in December 2015. However, investigators said Marshall failed to report to her VRC that she had completed the program and lied on multiple occasions regarding her progress toward completion of her bachelor’s degree.

The Department of Veterans Affairs said Marshall also provided fake degree audits to support her repeated lies to the VRC regarding her progress toward completing her bachelor’s degree. As a result of Marshall’s lies and misrepresentations, the VA paid for classes and issued monthly subsistence allowance payments after she had already completed her approved VRE program. The total loss to the VA was $20,986.92.

“The Veteran Readiness and Employment program provides vital job training, education, and employment accommodations for our nation’s deserving veterans with service-connected disabilities. The VA Office of Inspector General is committed to holding accountable those who would commit fraud against VA’s programs and services,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General for their efforts in this joint investigation.”

This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler and Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie.