A US military veteran, Christopher Stultz, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for fraudulently claiming over $660,000 in disability benefits by faking a walking impairment for more than two decades. Stultz, a resident of Antrim, New Hampshire, admitted to making false statements to obtain veteran’s disability benefits by pretending to be unable to walk and using a wheelchair for mobility.
Stultz, who served in the US Navy and was honorably discharged in 1999 after a spinal cord injury, began receiving disability benefits in 2003. Despite being rated as partially disabled by the US Department of Veterans Affairs initially, Stultz later claimed complete disability, leading to an increase in his benefits and additional funding for adapted vehicles.
Prosecutors revealed that Stultz never used the adapted cars meant for mobility-impaired veterans but instead sold them for cash. The case came to light when a concerned citizen reported Stultz's fraudulent behavior to authorities, prompting an investigation that included surveillance footage showing Stultz walking without impairment despite claiming to be wheelchair-bound.
During the investigation, Stultz was diagnosed with factitious disorder, a condition where individuals feign physical or psychological illnesses. His attorneys argued for leniency, citing his psychological evaluation and ongoing counseling for various physical ailments.
US Attorney for New Hampshire, Jane Young, condemned Stultz's actions as one of the most egregious benefits fraud cases in the state, emphasizing that he not only defrauded taxpayers but also deprived deserving veterans of rightful benefits. Stultz has been ordered to pay restitution of $662,871.77 in addition to serving his prison sentence.
The sentencing memorandum highlighted instances where Stultz was observed walking normally in public despite claiming severe impairment, further solidifying the evidence against him. Stultz's attorney did not provide a comment on the case.
