Florida veteran pleads guilty in VA benefits fraud

May 13, 2026

Summary

Federal prosecutors said a Florida man falsely claimed blindness and collected nearly $245,000 in VA disability benefits.

Why this matters

The case shows how federal investigators scrutinize disability claims and pursue fraud involving major public benefit programs. It also comes as the Justice Department expands enforcement against misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits.

A New Smyrna Beach, Florida, man pleaded guilty to one count of receiving stolen government money after federal prosecutors said he falsely claimed blindness to collect nearly $245,000 in Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits.

Jerry Smith, 73, fraudulently received $244,953.70 in benefits from 2017 to 2021, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida said May 4. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date had not been set.

Smith served briefly in the U.S. Air Force in 1970 and later told the VA that welding light exposure during his service had left him legally blind, WNDB News Daytona Beach reported. He said the condition prevented him from driving, working, and performing basic daily tasks.

The VA awarded him disability compensation for four years based on those claims.

Federal investigators said Smith’s vision was “significantly better” than he had described during eye exams and in written statements to the VA.

Prosecutors said that while collecting benefits, Smith drove, read without difficulty, and moved around stores while conducting transactions at cash registers and drive-through ATMs. They also said he worked as a firearms specialist and served as a school guardian at Spruce Creek High School in Port Orange, Florida.

Smith passed the guardian program’s firearms qualification test on his first attempt. Security video from Spruce Creek showed him walking through the cafeteria and a hallway while reading papers in his hand, and standing watch as students and parents entered the building, prosecutors said.

The Justice Department said the case came as it expanded anti-fraud efforts across taxpayer-funded programs.

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South Carolina, US Politics

SC Senate rejects late push to redraw voting lines

On Monday night, President Trump wrote on Truth Social that Republicans should use every “Legal and Constitutional authority” to stop Democrats.

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The South Carolina Senate on Tuesday rejected an effort to redraw the state’s congressional districts weeks before the primaries, despite pressure from President Donald Trump and support from House Republicans.

Senators voted 29-17 against adding redistricting to a resolution governing what lawmakers can do after the regular session ends Thursday. The motion needed a two-thirds majority. Five Republicans joined all 12 Democrats in voting no.

Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, an Edgefield Republican, said changing the map now would delay congressional primaries, discard absentee ballots already cast, including some from military voters overseas, and create confusion that could reduce turnout. He also said South Carolina lawmakers should not follow a map drafted outside the state.

Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto, an Orangeburg Democrat, also opposed using “a map someone else gave us,” saying it would be unfair to voters and candidates.

Trump had called Republican senators, joined a GOP caucus meeting by phone, and urged action on social media.

The push followed a U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down Louisiana’s congressional map as unconstitutional racial gerrymandering. Massey said that ruling did not apply to South Carolina’s map, which he said had been upheld by the U.S. and state supreme courts. “We don’t have a racial gerrymander. We have a partisan gerrymander. We were trying to maximize Republican seats,” he said.

In the House, the Judiciary Committee voted 15-9 along party lines Tuesday to advance legislation that would adopt a new map and delay congressional primaries to Aug. 18. The map, first circulated by House Republicans last week, was written by Adam Kincaid of the National Republican Redistricting Trust. According to the trust, it would favor Republicans in all seven districts, including the 6th District held by U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn.

Election officials said the timeline would be difficult. Early voting begins in 14 days, 8,250 absentee ballots have been mailed, and 354 had already been returned, according to the state Election Commission. Elections Director Conway Belangia said any disruption could require staff to “work probably 24 hours a day.”

A Senate do-over vote was possible, but Massey said that was highly unlikely.
South Carolina, US Politics

SC GOP to sue over open primaries, seek restrictions

Eight states have fully closed primaries, 14 use systems that are neither fully open nor closed, and South Carolina is one of 15 states that do not restrict primary participation.

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South Carolina’s Republican Party said Tuesday it plans to file a federal lawsuit next month challenging the state’s open primary system and seeking the ability to limit who can vote in Republican primaries.

Party Chairman Drew McKissick said the lawsuit would argue South Carolina’s system violates the party’s First Amendment right to decide who it associates with. He said the goal is to prevent voters who are not registered Republicans from voting in GOP primaries.

“This is the only alternative that we have left,” McKissick said after two bills to close primaries stalled early in the legislative session.

The proposals split House Republicans, faced long odds in the Senate, and would have been vetoed by the governor if they had passed.

At a Statehouse news conference, McKissick said the party has not decided whether to limit participation only to registered Republicans. The state party has backed legislation that would allow unaffiliated voters to participate, while automatically registering voters with a party after they cast a ballot in that party’s primary.

Attorney General Alan Wilson and U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, both Republican candidates for governor, joined McKissick in support of closing primaries. Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, and Sen. Josh Kimbrell have also publicly supported the idea.

Opponents told lawmakers earlier this year that closed primaries could block independents from voting and further reduce already low primary turnout. They also said any system requiring voters to register with a party in advance could create confusion.

South Carolina Republicans have challenged the system before. A federal judge dismissed a 2010 lawsuit brought by the Greenville County Republican Party in 2013, ruling the county party could not bring the case without deciding the underlying constitutional question.

McKissick pointed to court rulings recognizing parties’ First Amendment associational rights. He said a similar lawsuit in Texas is ongoing.
Virginia

Virginia sets paid family, medical leave by 2028

Federal law requires companies with 50 or more workers to provide 12 weeks of leave, but it does not require that workers be paid.

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Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed two bills Monday that put Virginia on track to create a paid family and medical leave program by 2028.

Senate Bill 2 by Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, and House Bill 1207 by Del. Briana Sewell, D-Prince William, allow workers to take up to 12 weeks of leave to care for ill family members, address their own long-term health needs, or care for a new child.

The law also provides up to four weeks of safe leave for people facing domestic violence, sexual assault, or harassment. The leave can be used while navigating legal matters or other changes tied to leaving unsafe situations.

At a bill-signing event at the state Capitol, Boysko said the law would have helped when she experienced a pregnancy complication as a young mother. While she recovered and her daughter was in a neonatal intensive care unit 20 miles away, she said her husband could not take leave from work.

Spanberger said the new law could help small businesses attract and retain workers, while supporting larger employers that already offer similar benefits.

Virginia’s law applies to workers at companies with 10 or more employees. It allows them to receive up to 80% of their pay while on leave through a program that will require initial state funding and later be financed by contributions from most employers and employees.

The state Department of Planning and Budget estimated startup costs at $117 million over the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years.

Republicans have opposed state funding for the program. During the legislative session, Del. Michael Webert, R-Fauquier, said the policy might not work for some small businesses.

Former Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed a similar proposal last year, calling it a “one size fits all government mandate.”

Spanberger, lawmakers, and supporters highlighted the policy’s effect on working mothers.
North Carolina

N.C. lawmakers revisit land limits near bases

Property acquired in violation of the law could be placed in receivership and sold, with the proceeds covering costs and any remaining funds going to the state.

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North Carolina Republican lawmakers on Tuesday introduced a revised proposal to bar governments deemed adversarial to the United States, along with state-controlled enterprises, from buying, leasing, or holding controlling interests in agricultural land statewide or property within 50 miles of military installations.

Sponsors said the measure was a compromise between earlier House and Senate proposals that did not win full General Assembly approval. The bill updates the “North Carolina Farmland and Military Protection Act.”

The legislation uses a federal list tied to International Traffic in Arms Regulations to define adversarial foreign governments, including China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela. It applies to installations including Fort Bragg, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, and other military and National Guard facilities.

A previous version passed the House unanimously last year but did not receive a Senate vote.

Sen. Bob Brinson, R-Craven, told a Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that he worked with bill sponsors to address concerns.

Brinson said lawmakers reduced the restricted zone around military bases from 75 miles to 50 miles after some objected to the earlier distance. He said the bill also expanded protections by adding National Guard facilities.

The proposal would authorize the attorney general to investigate suspected violations and ask a court to order divestiture of prohibited land holdings.

Senate Democrats said they appreciated the revisions but remained concerned about possible economic effects. Sen. Lisa Grafstein, D-Wake, asked sponsors to add protections for immigrants who moved to the United States years ago and started a business. She also said she would prefer a limit of 10 miles or less.

Republicans said national security concerns outweighed possible economic effects.
Hawaii, North Carolina

Coast Guard suspends Maui search for missing snorkeler

Police said Weems texted a family member at 1:30 p.m. saying he was going snorkeling. At about 3 p.m., a hotel guest reported seeing a man in distress in the ocean.

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The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search at 6 p.m. Monday for a 75-year-old North Carolina man who went missing while snorkeling off Kaanapali Beach on Maui.

Crews searched 1,275 square miles for more than 77 combined hours for John Weems, the Coast Guard said.

“Following extensive search efforts carried out alongside our partner agencies, we have made the difficult decision to suspend the search for Mr. Weems,” Lt. Tyler Peterson, Sector Honolulu’s search and rescue mission coordinator, said in a news release. “We extend our deepest condolences to his family and all who are grieving, both near and far.”

Sector Honolulu watchstanders received a request for assistance from Maui Fire Department personnel at 6:38 p.m. Friday, according to the Coast Guard.

After issuing an urgent marine information broadcast, watchstanders launched a 45-foot response boat with a medium crew from Station Maui, and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Barbers Point. The fast response cutter USCGC Oliver Berry and crew joined the search Saturday.

The Air Force Civil Air Patrol, Maui Police Department, Maui Fire Department, and Maui Ocean Safety Bureau also joined the search.

According to Maui police, a family member reported Weems missing Friday evening after he did not return from snorkeling off 100 Nohea Kai Drive in Kaanapali.

Weems was described as about 5 feet, 9 inches tall and 170 pounds, with gray hair and brown eyes. Police said it was unknown what he was last wearing.

Anyone with information about Weems’ whereabouts was asked to contact Maui police’s non-emergency number at 808-244-6400. In emergencies, callers should dial 911 and refer to report No. 26-012349.
Lejeune Community

50-year sentence in Eastern NC meth trafficking case

Officials said the convicted man sold at least 220 pounds of methamphetamine between 2020 and May 2023.

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A man convicted of leading a multistate methamphetamine trafficking operation that supplied drugs to Eastern North Carolina was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Homer Allen Faison III, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III after a Raleigh jury convicted him in November 2025 of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and 11 counts of distribution.

Prosecutors said Faison ran a drug distribution network from California to Sampson County, where methamphetamine was sold in the Clinton area.

Investigators said Faison took orders and collected money from co-conspirators in North Carolina before traveling to California to buy large quantities of methamphetamine. Authorities said he then arranged for the drugs to be transported to North Carolina for distribution.

The case involved multiple defendants, including six North Carolina residents, a customer in Virginia, and three suppliers in California.

The investigation spanned several years and involved local, state, and federal agencies, including the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Clinton Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
Hawaii

Jury acquits man in 2022 fatal Chinatown shooting

The man on trial was released because he had no pending criminal charges, but is homeless.

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An Oahu Circuit Court jury acquitted 62-year-old Samuel Carter on all five counts in a 2022 fatal shooting in Chinatown, including second-degree attempted murder, second-degree murder, and three firearm and ammunition charges.

Prosecutors had accused Carter of targeting Michael Yonenaga, who was grazed by a bullet that killed 24-year-old pregnant woman Alize Agresor-Ayala at 11:16 p.m. Aug. 19, 2022.

Yonenaga, the only eyewitness in the case, testified that he could not identify Carter in the courtroom. He said the shooting happened a long time ago and that he did not know why anyone would want to kill him.

The state presented DNA evidence on a spent cartridge casing and video that placed Carter at or near the scene, but the jury found the evidence insufficient to convict.

Closing arguments ended at 2:21 p.m. on Monday. Jurors returned a unanimous verdict 22 minutes later.
North Carolina

Greenville council reviews proposed $194.9M budget

A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for June 8 at City Hall. A vote could follow June 11.

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Greenville City Council got its first look Monday at a proposed $194.9 million operating budget for fiscal year 2026-27.

City staff presented a plan that would keep the property tax rate at 39.54 cents. City officials said the rate remains among the lowest for comparable cities in North Carolina.

The proposed budget is available for public review online and at the city clerk’s office at City Hall on West Fifth Street.

Proposed budgets for the Pitt-Greenville Convention & Visitors Authority, Sheppard Memorial Library, Greenville Utilities Commission, and Pitt-Greenville Airport Authority will be presented at a May 14 meeting at 6 p.m.
Virginia

Manassas sets FY 2027 tax rate, ends vehicle fee

The budget takes effect July 1. It passed with one dissenting vote from Councilwoman Theresa Coates Ellis.

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Manassas City Council on May 11 approved the city’s fiscal year 2027 budget, setting the real estate tax rate at $1.24 per $100 of assessed value and repealing the $25 annual vehicle license decal fee.

City officials said it keeps reserves at about $33 million, or roughly 20% of the budget, above the city’s 15% target, while funding full staffing for Engine 501, competitive salaries and health insurance, schools, and state-mandated social services.

Finance Director Anna Bergeron said the tax rate fell from $1.26 and that each cent equals about $850,000 in revenue. Ellis proposed lowering the rate to $1.23 by using the $1.2 million contingency fund, but that motion failed.

The council also removed the vehicle decal fee. According to the commissioner of the revenue, the average household with 2.25 vehicles will save about $50 a year, for a citywide revenue impact of about $1 million.

The budget includes increases in water, electric, stormwater, and airport fees. Officials said those funds remain self-supporting. The personal property tax rate for data center computer equipment was set at $4.50 to match Prince William County.

Council members said the budget aimed to balance resident relief, staffing, infrastructure, and long-term stability. Officials said reserves and contingency funds would help manage risks, including appeals of data center assessments and possible federal cuts.
South Carolina

Hilton Head reports thefts from airline miles accounts

Travel rewards accounts can be vulnerable because they are often used infrequently and monitored less closely than bank or credit card accounts.

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Hilton Head Island residents with airline rewards accounts may want to review their account security after Beaufort County deputies received two reports within two days of stolen American Airlines miles.

According to Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office incident reports, unauthorized users redeemed about 100,000 miles from each victim’s AAdvantage account. Both victims were described as long-standing American Airlines account holders on Hilton Head.

A deputy estimated the value of the stolen miles in each case at about $1,000 and wrote that it was “unknown” how the accounts were compromised.

In both cases, the victims said they received emails in early May alerting them to an unauthorized login, according to the reports.

California television station KCRA reported earlier this month that one man lost 449,500 American Airlines miles valued at more than $13,000. He and another victim told the station their points were restored after they filed police reports.

American Airlines told KCRA that travelers should update their passwords and enable multifactor authentication to help protect their accounts.