Stolen Valor: Bucks Co. Man Sentenced For Posing As POW

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — A Bucks County man was recently sentenced to serve more than three years in prison after stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars by lying about being a prisoner of war, according to federal prosecutors.

Richard Meleski, 58, of Chalfont, pleaded guilty in July 2020 to stolen valor, mail fraud, creating fraudulent military papers, and aiding and abetting straw purchases, as well as health care fraud and making false statements, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Though he has never served in the U.S. military, Meleski claimed to be an elite Navy SEAL and presented documents showing he was a prisoner of war to secure additional benefits worth more than $300,000, prosecutors said.

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Meleski also sought compensation from the Veterans Administration by claiming he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after rescuing injured soldiers in Beirut, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams.

Meleski submitted obituaries for several Navy SEALs whom he claimed to have served with as part of his application for additional benefits, she said.

“He traded on the actions of these true service members in an attempt to bolster his application for monetary benefits,” Williams said in a release.

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Meleski also applied for Social Security Administration disability benefits for injuries he claimed to have suffered in battle, she said. He also said he was awarded a Silver Star for his actions, despite never serving in the military, prosecutors said.

Williams said Wednesday that Meleski’s crimes were “profoundly offensive” to veterans and active service members.

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“The fact that Meleski chose to put himself ahead of true war heroes in order to take advantage of benefits designed specifically for those serving in the U.S. military is profoundly offensive,” she said. “Our veterans fought for the freedoms we hold dear, and as we approach the 20th anniversary of the attacks of 9/11 this Saturday, their sacrifices are even more meaningful. The defendant’s actions dishonor all of their legacies.”

A federal judge sentenced Meleski to serve three years and four months in prison, in addition to three years of supervised release. He must also pay more than $302,000 in restitution, prosecutors said.

Meleski was convicted of arson four times in New Jersey between 1985 and 2003, the Bucks County Courier Times reported last year.