A California man who falsely claimed to be a combat-injured Marine with two Purple Hearts so he could receive medical and housing benefits was sentenced federal prison on Thursday.
City of Orange, California, resident James Stiles, 43, received 16 months in prison and was ordered to pay $167,234 in restitution, City News Service reported.
Stiles was charged with seven counts of government fraud, which included almost $195,000 in medical visits and some $4,000 housing payments, according to court documents obtained Friday by Marine Corps Times.
The Veterans Administration Office of Inspector General was the investigating agency in Stiles’ case and filed charges of healthcare fraud, theft of government property, false statements and committing an offense against the government, according to documents.
Stiles was reportedly confronted by the VA in April 2016 and admitted to lying about serving in the Marine Corps from 1995 to 2005, with a combat tour in