A Florida man was sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty in a case in which he was accused of stealing his twin brother’s identity to receive more than $63,773 in military veteran benefits.
Wayne Bowen, 64, used his estranged brother’s name, Social Security card, and military discharge papers around October 2014 to apply for federal subsidized housing benefits, according to the Justice Department, which noted the financial relief was funded as part of a joint program administered by the departments of Housing and Urban Development and Veterans Affairs.
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After Bowen was approved for benefits, he received $32,434 in medical services from the VA, $18,905 in housing subsidies from HUD, and $12,434 in nutritional benefits from the Department of Agriculture, the Justice Department said Tuesday.
Bowen admitted to federal agents during an interview in November 2017 that he had been using his brother’s identity for several years and had obtained a Florida ID card in his name, under which he had been arrested and convicted of offenses, according to court documents. After initially telling the agents that he had served and been honorably discharged from the Army, like his brother, he eventually admitted that he had lied.
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Bowen’s twin brother told officials he had not applied for the housing benefits or given him permission to use his information or name to receive the benefits, according to the Justice Department.
Bowen pleaded guilty Jan. 20 to aggravated identity theft. In addition to the prison sentence, Bowen was ordered to reimburse the agencies the full $63,773.
