Atlanta man sentenced for stealing veteran’s disability benefits

ATLANTA - William F. Dorsey Jr., has been sentenced to federal prison for embezzling over $150,000 from his father’s beneficiary account funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“Stealing from a disabled veteran who is also his parent is shameful,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “Our veterans served this country with honor, and we will aggressively investigate and prosecute those who seek to take advantage of them.”

“This sentence sends a clear message that the VA OIG will vigorously investigate those who steal from our nation’s Veterans with disabilities,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office.  “The VA OIG will continue to ensure that Veterans with disabilities are not exploited for financial gain or greed.”

According to Acting U.S. Attorney Erskine, the charges and other information presented in court: On May 10, 2010, William Dorsey, Jr., signed a fiduciary agreement agreeing to manage his father’s benefit payments provided by the VA. His father, William Dorsey, Sr., is a 69-year-old disabled Vietnam Veteran diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and dementia. According to medical records from the secure medical center where he resides, William Dorsey, Sr. is restricted to an adaptive chair, cannot communicate, and requires total assistance with his daily activities.

As part of the fiduciary agreement, William Dorsey, Jr., agreed to spend the VA funds only for the Veteran’s benefit, to never comingle funds, to never withdraw cash from the account, and to keep accurate records and receipts. However, by the time he was removed as fiduciary seven years later in May 2017, bank records showed that Dorsey, Jr. had violated all of these conditions. Financial records showed that Dorsey, Jr. spent thousands of dollars in disability benefits on himself, wrote checks from the Veteran’s account to himself, and retained over $100,000 in the Veteran's disability benefits after the VA removed him as the fiduciary.

William F. Dorsey, Jr., 44, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Eleanor L. Ross to one year and one day in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $23,052.87.  Dorsey was found guilty by a jury on July 21, 2021.

This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin A. Leipold, III and Irina K. Dutcher, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott McAfee prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.