A congressman wants an investigation of a viral video that shows a man pretending to be an Army Ranger in a mall on Black Friday.
Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., wrote that the video “could contain evidence of a federal crime” in a letter to Zane David Memeger, the U.S. Attorney for Eastern District of Pennsylvania, according to the Army Times.
The Stolen Valor Act of 2013 made it a federal crime “to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefit” by wearing combat medals and honors.
The video (which you can watch below) shows an army veteran questioning a Black Friday shopper claiming to be an Army Ranger. The shopper was unable to answer questions about his uniform, and there is no record of him having served in the Army.
Army Sgt. Ryan Berk, 26, is a student at Temple University. He received the Purple Heart in 2010 after being wounded in Afghanistan.
Berk had stern words for the shopper he confronted.
“He’s impersonating in the uniform people died for,” Berk added. “He was wearing awards that I earned and he didn’t.”
It is unclear whether the shopper received any benefits from impersonating an Army Ranger, and Department of Justice policy does not allow comment on investigations.
