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A Rhode Island woman convicted of falsely claiming to be a combat-wounded Marine as part of scams to defraud veterans charities out of more than $250,000 has been sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, according to the Justice Department.
Sarah Jane Cavanaugh, 32, has also been ordered to pay more than $284,000 in restitution and a federal judge has reinstated 261 hours of paid leave donated to Cavanaugh by federal employees, a Justice Department news release says.
On Aug. 9, Cavanaugh pleaded guilty to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, forged military discharge certificate, and fraudulent use of military medals, according to the Justice Department. She also admitted to a federal judge that she had stolen the identities of a Marine veteran and a Navy veteran who was suffering from cancer while she worked at the Department of Veteran Affairs at the Rhode Island Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
“Sarah Cavanaugh’s conduct in the course of her scheme is nothing short of appalling,” U.S. Attorney Cunha said in a statement after Cavanaugh’s sentencing on Tuesday. “By brazenly laying claim to the honor, service, and sacrifice of real veterans, this defendant preyed on the charity and decency of others for her own shameless financial gain. I am grateful that, with today’s sentence, she has been brought to justice and will face the consequences of her actions.”
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