Springfield, MA – A former U.S. Marine has pleaded guilty to falsifying his military service record and defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in disability benefits. Paul John “PJ” Herbert, 54, of Shelburne Falls, admitted to submitting false statements, including a fraudulent Purple Heart application, and collecting over $344,000 in unearned VA benefits.
Herbert’s guilty plea was entered Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Springfield before Judge Mark Mastroianni. He was charged with one count of making false statements and is set to be sentenced on June 17. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Herbert is expected to be ordered to pay $299,733 in restitution and a $5,500 fine, along with 24 months of supervised release. The first 12 months will consist of home confinement, with exceptions granted for medical and mental health appointments.
False Claims and Stolen Valor
According to court documents and statements made during the hearing, Herbert falsely claimed to have suffered injuries from an improvised explosive device (IED) attack while serving with British Royal Marines during Operation Provide Comfort in the early 1990s. He used this fabricated narrative to file for disability benefits from the VA starting in 2010. His fraudulent claims were not limited to disability compensation; Herbert also received free dental care, $9,000 in tax abatements from Buckland, and $19,000 from a Massachusetts veterans’ annuity program reserved for those deemed 100% disabled. Additionally, he received free lodging and meals while training with a service dog, whose veterinary bills were paid by the VA.
Herbert’s deception extended beyond financial gain. In October 2018, he submitted a notarized letter to his Congressman falsely stating that he had been injured in a roadside explosion, seeking assistance with his Purple Heart application. His fraudulent claims unraveled after veterans’ services officials grew suspicious of inconsistencies in his military record. A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request revealed that Herbert’s actual service history did not match his claims.
Exposure and Investigation
The Greenfield Recorder first reported in August 2022 that Herbert had admitted to embellishing his military service. “I just needed to feel important. I started feeling important and feeling good about myself and I didn’t know a way to get out,” Herbert said at the time. “I know I hurt a lot of people that trusted me and cared about me and everything else.”
Christopher Demars, director of the Upper Pioneer Valley Veterans’ Services District, played a key role in exposing Herbert’s fraudulent claims. He and his colleagues became suspicious after Herbert spoke at a local veterans’ event, recounting experiences that were inconsistent with his military records.
“Now we can concentrate on the veterans that need our help instead of the ones that are lying about the help they need,” Demars said following the court hearing.
Legal Consequences and Sentencing
Herbert was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2023 and arrested the following month. The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized the severity of his crimes, with U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley stating, “Veterans know well that the Purple Heart honors those brave service members who were injured or killed in the line of duty. Mr. Herbert knew that he did not deserve this widely recognized and respected award, but that did not stop him from lying about a traumatic brain injury and stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in disability benefits, intended to take care of veterans truly in need. Claiming valor for a false injury is an affront to all the members of the military who serve our country with courage and honor.”
While Herbert’s plea agreement suggests he will serve home confinement, he technically faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from his fraudulent actions, whichever is greater.
Herbert acknowledged his guilt in court, confirming his mental competency and stating, “I am guilty.” His legal representative, Assistant Federal Public Defender Thomas J. O’Connor Jr., noted that Herbert suffers from depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, fibromyalgia, and chronic migraines, though these conditions did not impair his ability to understand the proceedings.
Both parties agreed that the VA will withhold $900 per month from Herbert’s disability compensation as a reasonable repayment plan.
A Broader Issue of Stolen Valor
Herbert’s case is one of many instances of stolen valor—where individuals falsely claim military achievements for personal or financial gain. In a comparable case, Sarah Jane Cavanaugh, a former social worker at a Rhode Island VA hospital, was sentenced in 2023 to nearly six years in prison for stealing patient information to pass herself off as a decorated Marine veteran with cancer, fraudulently collecting nearly $300,000 in benefits and charitable contributions.
With Herbert’s conviction, officials hope to redirect resources toward veterans who genuinely need assistance. “Military veterans deserve the respect of every citizen for their service to our country,” Foley said. “This case reaffirms our commitment to ensuring that stolen valor does not go unpunished.”
Herbert’s sentencing on June 17 will determine whether he receives further punishment beyond the agreed-upon terms of his plea deal.
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