BRUNSWICK, GA: The training director of a Camden County dive shop has admitted participating in the submission of false claims to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for scuba classes targeting military veterans’ education benefits.
John Spyker, 39, of Yulee, Fla., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to an Information charging him with False, Fictitious, and Fraudulent Claims, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The guilty plea subjects Spyker to a possible statutory penalty of up to five years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and restitution, and up to three years of supervised release following any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“As the sixth defendant admitting culpability in this investigation, John Spyker represents one more falling domino in the effort to unravel this substantial theft of veterans’ education benefits,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “The VA Office of Inspector General continues to do outstanding work in identifying and ending this fraud.”
Spyker, a School Certifying Official and Director of Training at Diver’s Den in St. Marys, Ga., admitted that from about January 2021 through January 2022, he, and others, submitted false and fraudulent information to the Department of Veterans Affairs for tuition payments under the Post-9/11 GI Bill totaling $722,399.19.
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