ALEXANDRIA, VA — A former career services manager at a Virginia school pleaded guilty Tuesday to orchestrating a $2.9 million scheme to defraud the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by fabricating documents related to veteran employment and education programs.
Jeffrey Williams, 37, of Alexandria, admitted in court to submitting hundreds of false documents between July 2022 and May 2024 while employed at a job training institution offering veteran-focused cyber education programs. Prosecutors say Williams falsified job offers, forged signatures, and created fake certifications to falsely claim that veterans had secured employment — a key requirement for the school to receive VA tuition payments.
Key Points
- Jeffrey Williams defrauded the VA of $2.9 million through fake job records.
- The fraud impacted at least 189 veterans over a two-year period.
- Williams faces up to 20 years in prison for one count of wire fraud.
According to the Department of Justice, Williams used his position to submit fraudulent claims on behalf of the school for at least 189 veterans, triggering nearly $3 million in tuition disbursements from the VA. Investigators say he forged veterans’ signatures and fabricated documents to make it appear the students had gained qualifying employment after completing the training.
Williams pleaded guilty to a single count of wire fraud. He now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Sentencing will be determined by a district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutory factors.
The case highlights ongoing concerns over fraud in federal education assistance programs, particularly those serving military veterans.
