SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Feb. 13, 2025 (Gephardt Daily) — Tiffany Ann Bright, 39, was sentenced on Thursday to serve 36 months of probation and pay $150,000 in restitution after she stole unearned veteran disability benefits from a former partner over a period of years.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow, comes after Bright, of Washington City, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and theft of government funds on October 29, 2024.
According to court documents and statements made at Bright’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, from December 2013 to April 2022, “Ms. Bright unlawfully stole veteran disability benefits from a prior partner,” says a news release issued by the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Utah.
“In the summer of 2013, Bright helped the veteran set up an online benefits account to start receiving disability benefits, but later changed the direct deposit information to bank accounts wholly owned by her. Bright submitted fraudulent documentation to the U.S. government to increase the payments, and lied about her marital status to receive the veteran benefits. To carry out the scheme, the payments were transmitted via interstate wire from New Jersey to Bright’s account in Utah.
“In 2022, the veteran received a letter about his benefits, indicating changes had been made to his account. The veteran was unaware benefits were being paid still. He had assumed the benefits were being used to pay off his education debt.”
United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated jointly by the Department of Veteran Affairs, Criminal Investigations Division, and the Washington City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Gough of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
