Lawrence Man Admits Stealing $256K In Veterans Benefits Over 17 Years

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ - A Lawrence Township man has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $256,000 in Veterans Affairs disability benefits that should have ended after his mother's death in 2008.

Mark Stratton, 67, pleaded guilty on Sept. 25, before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba said.

According to court documents and statements, Stratton's father originally received VA disability benefits, which transferred to Stratton's mother upon his death.

The monthly payments were deposited electronically into a joint bank account shared by Stratton and his mother. When his mother died in 2008, Stratton failed to inform the Department of Veterans Affairs and continued withdrawing the funds for personal use, court documents said.

A joint investigation by the VA Office of Inspector General and the FBI uncovered that Stratton improperly withdrew approximately $256,027 in benefits over a 17-year period from 2008 to 2025, Habba said.

Stratton faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 27, 2026.

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