Ga Man Ordered to Pay Over $370k in Restitution for VA Benefits Fraud

United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald recently announced the sentencing of JEFFREY FRANK HORNER, 57, to 28 months in prison for wire fraud. HORNER, who pleaded guilty on July 7, 2020, was sentenced last week before Senior Judge Paul A. Magnuson in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota.

According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, HORNER, the owner and operator of HORNER PAYEE SERVICES and RENROH Enterprises LLC, served as a fiduciary for disabled veterans. In his capacity, HORNER was responsible for managing veterans’ benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”), the U.S. Social Security Administration (“SSA”), and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (“OPM”). Between April 2010 and September 2018, HORNER devised and executed a scheme to defraud the VA, the SSA, and the OPM, and veterans entitled to these agencies’ benefits. HORNER established and used at least 12 bank accounts in his own name and in the names of his businesses to transfer and divert for his own use at least $365,374.69 victims’ government funds.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, and the U.S. Social Security Administration.

Assistant United States Attorney Miranda E. Dugi prosecuted the case.

Defendant Information:

JEFFREY FRANK HORNER, 57

Mableton, Ga.

Convicted:

• Wire fraud, 1 count

Sentenced:

• 28 months in prison
• One year of supervised release
• $372,874.69 in restitution