A retired Navy commander has been found guilty of faking an injury in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the Pentagon in order to take $334,000 from the federal victims’ compensation fund.
Cmdr. Charles Coughlin, 52, of Severna Park, was given a Purple Heart and a Meritorious Service Medal after he claimed he was injured by falling debris as he raced back into the Pentagon to help his fellow comrades. Coughlin’s claim to the victims’ compensation fund set up by Congress was that he suffered constant pain in his neck, headaches, weakness and numbness in his left hand and elbow. He said he could no longer run distance races, play basketball or work on projects around the house.
Prosecutors said Coughlin ran the New York Marathon two months after the terrorist attacks and showed photos of him playing lacrosse.
