Warrant Officer Dara Buck stationed at Fort Stewart plead guilty last week to running a criminal conspiracy to defraud the United States government out of millions of dollars that were intended for COVID relief for Americans in need.
“Dara Buck swore an oath to protect and defend her country, and then engaged in a massive scheme to defraud the nation’s taxpayers,” U.S. Attorney David H. Estes said in a Department of Justice press release. “She is now being held accountable for this fraud and betrayal, thanks to the diligence of our civilian and military law enforcement partners.”
Buck submitted over 150 fraudulent applications to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) which is a part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The fraudulent applications resulted in the U.S. government disbursing over $3.5 million. Buck submitted some applications on her own behalf, and in other cases filed them in the names of co-conspirators.
She also plead guilty to submitting false disability claims to the Dept. of Veteran's Affairs which netted an additional $1 million of funds for Buck's criminal conspiracy.
"CW2 Buck choose to dishonor the U.S. Military and defraud the American people she swore to protect and defend," said Special Agent in Charge Cynthia Bruce who helped investigate the case.
Buck is now awaiting sentencing while facing up to five years in federal prison as well as potentially paying fines and restitution.
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