Mikhail Robin Wicker, 39, has been convicted of defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs out of more than $140,000 by falsely claiming to be a Marine veteran, Purple Heart recipient, and former prisoner of war. According to the Justice Department, Wicker forged medical certificates and other documents to obtain VA medical care, disability pay, and education benefits.
On Nov. 21, a federal jury found Wicker guilty of wire fraud, mail fraud, using a false military discharge certificate, and fraudulent use of military medals. The conviction comes a year after his indictment and nearly a decade after he began the Stolen Valor scheme.
Court records indicate Wicker falsely claimed to have deployed to Iraq in 2005 with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, a unit that suffered heavy casualties near Haditha. He also claimed to have been captured as a prisoner of war from Feb. 25 to March 4, 2005, and said he suffered injuries and PTSD from an IED attack.
To support his scheme, Wicker submitted a fake DD214 and falsified certificates, including awards such as the Purple Heart, the Prisoner of War Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. He also applied for VA education benefits in 2017, receiving tuition assistance and subsistence payments to North Dakota State University.
The fraud continued until December 2019, when Wicker applied for an increase in disability benefits. In February 2020, the VA canceled all benefits after identifying inconsistencies in his service claims. By then, Wicker had received roughly $140,000 in healthcare, disability, and education benefits.
Prosecution evidence showed that Wicker had been working retail jobs in Minnesota during the time he claimed to be deployed. Actual members of Lima Company testified that Wicker was never part of the unit.
Wicker faces up to 20 years in prison on the wire fraud conviction, with sentencing yet to be scheduled.
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