ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A federal grand jury has indicted a New Jersey couple formerly from Rochester, accusing them of defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs out of more than $250,000 through false disability and caregiver claims, U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced Thursday.
Michael Joyce, 53, and Sarah Joyce, 33, also known as Sarah Shultis, were charged with theft of government funds, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
According to the indictment, Michael Joyce began filing for disability compensation with the VA in April 2016, claiming to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and a back condition. Following evaluations, he was granted a 100% disability rating for PTSD, and additional ratings for TBI and his back, totaling full disability compensation.
In February 2018, Joyce applied for permanent and total disability status, claiming his conditions were worsening and that he was housebound. “Every disability that I have either is the same but will not get better or has gotten worse,” he wrote, claiming he would die if he went outside. He was granted that status in April 2018.
Meanwhile, Sarah Joyce applied to the VA Caregiver Support Program as his full-time caregiver in late 2017, claiming she helped him with daily activities such as bathing, feeding, and dressing. She received a retroactive lump-sum payment of $8,345.82 and began collecting monthly payments of $2,890.14. By March 2024, she had received over $250,000 from the program.
However, a review of Michael Joyce’s military records and interviews with former unit members revealed no record of combat deployment. Investigators later documented Joyce performing physical tasks including snow shoveling, climbing a ladder, driving a car, and walking unassisted — contradicting the couple’s claims of debilitating conditions.