Philippines-based American pleads guilty in Texas to stealing money, benefits from U.S. veterans
A U.S. citizen operating from the Philippines pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in Texas to his role in a scheme that stole money and veterans’ benefits from thousands of U.S. servicemembers, federal officials announced.
"Philippines-Based American Fraudster"
Robert Wayne Boling Jr., 45, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering before a federal judge in the Western District of Texas.
The backstory:
According to court documents, Boling collaborated with co-conspirator Fredrick Brown, a former civilian medical records administrator for the U.S. Army in South Korea. Brown took digital photographs of personal identifying information belonging to thousands of service members and veterans and passed the data to Boling.
Boling and other co-conspirators used the stolen information to breach bank accounts and online government benefit accounts. The group funneled stolen funds through a network of U.S.-based money mules, who then transferred portions of the illicit proceeds to the Philippines.
What they're saying:
"This defendant betrayed our country by exploiting personal information belonging to thousands of military-affiliated individuals, including elderly and disabled veterans, in a calculated scheme to steal from those who have given so much," said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Justin R. Simmons, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, noted that law enforcement agencies worked for years to extradite Boling from the Philippines. Boling was deported to the United States in May to face federal charges.
Dig deeper:
Boling is the third defendant to plead guilty in the conspiracy. Brown and another co-conspirator, Trorice Crawford, previously pleaded guilty and received prison sentences of 151 months and 46 months, respectively. Two other co-conspirators, Jongmin Seok and Allan Albert Kerr, remain fugitives.
What's next:
Boling faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each conspiracy charge when he is sentenced on Jan. 14, 2027.
The Source: Information in this article is from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs.