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Fredrick Brown, a civilian who served for years at an Army base in South Korea, allegedly snapped digital photos of the personal information of military-connected individuals logged in a medical records system and shared them with associates who are accused of then breaking into victims’ internal Defense Department accounts and stealing sensitive banking information.
Brown, along with four other defendants, allegedly stole and exploited the personal information of thousands of current and former members of the military.
“These defendants are alleged to have illegally defrauded some of America’s most honorable citizens, our elderly and disabled veterans and servicemembers,” Attorney General William Barr said in a statement Wednesday. “Through today’s action, the Department is honoring our pledge to target elder fraud schemes, especially those committed by foreign actors using sophisticated means, and to protect the veterans of our great country.”
Brown, a US citizen, was arrested in Las Vegas and is being detained pending trial, the Justice Department said. Three other alleged members of the ring, including an Australian and South Korean citizen, were arrested in the Philippines.
The five defendants are charged with multiple counts of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, as well as conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
In a statement, the Justice Department said they are coordinating with the DOD and Department of Veterans Affairs to notify and provide resources to the identified victims.
This story will be updated.
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