An Arkansas woman was sentenced to prison for misusing more than $143,000 in disability payments intended for her injured veteran husband.
Brandi Goldman, 49, of Jonesboro, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison on Oct. 4 by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.
Goldman was married in 2013 to a United States Army Reservist who suffered a severe traumatic brain injury in a service-connected accident, according to a Department of Justice release.
As a result of this injury, her husband had many serious physical challenges, and Goldman was appointed as his guardian. Her husband began receiving disability payments, and Goldman signed a fiduciary agreement with the Department of Veterans Affairs outlining the terms of her management of his finances.
In part, the agreement stated that funds were to be used for the beneficiary and that Goldman was not permitted to borrow, loan, or gift money belonging to the beneficiary. When Goldman officially took over her husband’s accounts in April 2015, through November 2017 after her activity was reported to authorities, she received $258,613.54 in VA disability payments and $36,000 in Social Security payments. During that timeframe, she withdrew $199,649.30 in cash and accrued about $900 in ATM and overdraft fees.
Goldman admitted to using much of the cash to fund her methamphetamine habit, spending $150 on methamphetamine two to three times per week. She also admitted that five other people moved into the residence with her and her husband, none of whom paid rent or contributed to expenses, some of whom she regularly gave cash to.
Goldman also admitted paying $68,000 in cash for another home, furnishings for the home, a vehicle, and a motor home. She told investigators she purchased vehicles for several people and gave money to her daughters as well as her husband’s parents.
“To steal from a veteran who is incapacitated is an egregious crime. However, that this crime was committed by a fiduciary is particularly pathetic,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Breen of the VA’s Office of Inspector General’s South Central Field Office.
A grand jury indicted Goldman in July 2020 with one count of misappropriation by a fiduciary and one count of theft of government funds. In June 2022, she pleaded guilty to misappropriation by a fiduciary in exchange for the other count being dismissed. In addition to prison, Moody sentenced Golden to 3 years of supervised release and ordered her to pay $143,000 in restitution.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.
