A St. Lucie County man who claimed to be a U.S. veteran to get government benefits has pleaded guilty and will serve four years’ probation and pay restitution, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.
Edward Louis Liroff, 47, was arrested in April 2018 after having claimed to be a decorated military combat veteran in two job applications submitted to the City of Port St. Lucie. In November, Liroff pleaded guilty to the charges of theft of government property and making false claims of military accomplishments.
“In truth and fact, Liroff never served in the U.S. Military,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a prepared statement. Liroff, in addition to the four years’ probation, will pay more than $4,000 in restitution.
During the job application process with the City of Port St. Lucie, Liroff presented a fraudulent and forged DD Form 214 – Certificate of Release and Discharge From Active Duty. In his resume package, Liroff claimed to be a “highly decorated retired U.S. Army Ranger, Combat Medic and Recruiter, holding a top-secret security clearance,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Over the course of the investigation, authorities learned that Liroff submitted the same fake form in 2013 to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, claiming to have been awarded Army medals including two Purple Hearts, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Legion of Merit and an Air Medal for Valor.
The agency didn’t catch the fake form and Liroff received free health care benefits from the VA to the tune of more than $4,000, which covered prescriptions, outpatient and inpatient services.
Those who receive the Purple Heart get priority medical treatment and never have a co-pay for that treatment, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
