A 47-year-old Tallahassee man has pleaded guilty to stealing government funds intended for a disabled military veteran, federal prosecutors said.<\/p>\n
Anthony C. Brewer admitted to misusing money he was entrusted to manage under the Department of Veterans Affairs\u2019 fiduciary program, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the Northern District of Florida.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors said Brewer had agreed to oversee the VA benefits of a beneficiary who could not manage their own finances and was required to use the funds for the person\u2019s care and welfare. But court records show that between Oct. 7, 2020, and Jan. 9, 2023, Brewer instead stole the veteran\u2019s benefits.<\/p>\n
“My office will continue to aggressively prosecute those who seek to steal U.S. government monies intended to benefit our veterans,\u201d U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 2 before Chief U.S. District Judge Allen C. Winsor at the federal courthouse in Tallahassee. Brewer’s sentencing guidelines, which would show a likely punishment, were not immediately available.<\/p>\n
The Office of Inspector General\u2019s Criminal Investigations Division in the Department of Veterans Affairs investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Harley W. Ferguson is prosecuting. Brewer is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.<\/p>\n
Jim Rosica can be reached at jrosica@tallahassee.com<\/a> and follow him on Twitter\/X: @<\/a>JimRosicaFL<\/a>.<\/p>\n This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Man pleads guilty to theft of veteran\u2019s benefits, feds say<\/a><\/p>\n