Crime & Safety

Feds Charge Local Man With Defrauding Military Veterans

A Stafford Springs man was arrested on a charge that he defrauded veterans of their VA benefits.

A 66-year-old Stafford Springs man is facing federal charges that he defrauded several U.S. military veterans thousands of dollars.

Vietnam veteran John J. Simon Jr., known as “Buzzy Simon,” was arrested on Wednesday on federal criminal complaint charging him with mail fraud.

According to a Justice Department news release, Simon is accused of representing to several veterans that he would assist them in obtaining or increasing their VA benefits. 

He told certain victims that the money would be used to hire an attorney to do research and other work in furtherance of their claims, however these and other representations were false, the news release said.

Simon appeared in Hartford federal court and was released on a $50,000 bond. Mail fraud is punishable to up to 20 years of imprisonment.

The matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Officer of the Inspector General, as well as the IRS and other agencies.


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