Former Philadelphia VA Hospital Employee Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Stealing Almost $500,000 in Government Funds

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Bruce Minor, 46, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to two years in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $462,256 restitution and forfeit the same amount by United States District Court Judge Chad F. Kenney for his scheme to embezzle money from his former employer, the Philadelphia Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center (VAMC).

In May 2022, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds. The charge arose from his theft of approximately $487,000 in Veterans Affairs travel reimbursement funds, which he helped administer as part of his official duties as a travel clerk. In order to perpetrate the theft, Minor created fraudulent travel reimbursement claims in the names of at least three other VAMC employees and then diverted the fraudulently obtained funds into bank accounts he controlled. According to court documents, in an email to VAMC management, the defendant admitted to stealing approximately $13,000 in travel funds, though subsequent investigation showed that he stole upwards of $487,000 between December 2015 and September 2019.

“Americans – and especially the men and women who have served in uniform – deserve public employees who do their jobs honestly and with integrity,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “This defendant selfishly took advantage of his position with the VA to commit fraud, cheating both the veterans who rely on VA programs and the taxpayers who fund those services.”

“This defendant deceitfully used his position at VA to steal funds to which he was not entitled,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office. “This illegal conduct compromises the integrity of VA programs and wastes funds that could otherwise be used for the benefit of our nation’s veterans. The VA OIG thanks the US Attorney’s Office for its commitment throughout this investigation.”

The case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Diviny.