A 55-year-old Citrus County man was arrested after he allegedly stole over $364,000 in benefit payments from the Department of Veterans Affairs over a 28-year period.
On Thursday, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida Roger B. Handberg announced the return of an indictment charging Robert Howard Lawrence II with one count of receiving stolen government property.
If convicted, Lawrence faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and the forfeiture of at least $364,000.
According to court records, the Veterans Affairs (VA) Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) program provides a monthly benefit that is paid to eligible survivors of deceased military service members. However, in the event that the surviving spouse remarries, they are no longer eligible to receive the DIC benefits.
Lawrence was the surviving spouse of a service member who passed away in 1994. Lawrence remarried in November 1995, and he allegedly continued to receive DIC benefits through April 1, 2023. Court records state that Lawrence allegedly received benefits he was not entitled to because he “repeatedly told the VA that he had not remarried,” despite having actually remarried twice: in 1995 and 2023.
The total amount of Veterans Affairs Dependency and Indemnity Compensation benefits that Lawrence allegedly received is $364,497.80.
An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.