Richard Meleski misrepresented himself as a Navy SEAL, a combat veteran and a former prisoner of war when in reality he had never served a day in the U.S. military, according to the Department of Justice.
Meleski pleaded guilty this week to healthcare fraud, mail fraud, stolen valor and aiding and abetting straw purchases of firearms, according to a DoJ news release.
The fake Navy SEAL was charged with fraud, "in order to secure healthcare benefits from the Veterans Administration (VA) worth over $300,000," DoJ wrote. "Due to his false representation as a POW, the defendant received healthcare from the VA in Priority Group 3, effectively receiving healthcare before other deserving military service members."
One has to wonder if Meleski was not taking notes from the 1990 Charlie Sheen film "Navy SEALs" as he also claimed to have PTSD from combat missions in Beirut, Lebanon. He also claimed to have been awarded a Silver Star for these fake combat operations.
Taking it a step further, Meleski used the obituaries of actual Navy SEALs in a claim for VA compensation, misrepresenting himself as if he had served alongside them. Treating the U.S. government as an ATM machine, he also filed with the Social Security Administration to receive compensation for injuries he supposedly received in combat.
When the law finally caught up with Meleski, law enforcement officers discovered he had also been involved in the straw purchase of firearms.
"Everything about this case is profoundly offensive. Our veterans fought for the freedoms we hold dear, and we owe them a debt that we can never fully repay. But holding individuals like Meleski accountable for their crimes is one small way that we can honor our veterans’ service," U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain said in a statement.