Vietnam veteran charged with VA Fruad

Vietnam Veteran Charged with Falsely Claiming More Than $480,000 in Benefits
WBOY News
By Marisa Matyola, Producer
Updated: Jun 04, 2014

A Bridgeport man has been charged with falsely claiming his Veteran’s Administration (VA) disability benefits.

Thomas Cueto, 65, was charged with falsifying documents in order to enhance his benefits and fraudulently obtaining controlled substances from the VA. United States Attorney William J. Ithlenfeld, II said Cueto was indicted on one count of theft of government funds and nine counts of obtaining controlled substances by fraud.

Cueto, who served in the U.S. Army from 1969, to 1972, including time spent in Vietnam, was awarded disability benefits in 1999 for service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder. Since 1999, Cueto has collected more than $480,000 in VA benefits. The indictment returned Tuesday alleges Cueto of falsely claiming, on his Report of Discharge from the Armed Forces of the United States to have earned the following awards: a Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star with V-Device, Purple Heart and Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and other misleading documents to show he was injured in combat.
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