Rafael Castro, a Navy veteran and a former employee of the Veterans Health Administration and the Internal Revenue Service, and his wife, Miriam Castro, pleaded guilty in federal court to defrauding VA out of more than $130,000. Between September 2018 and April 2024, the Castros fraudulently obtained benefits from the VA’s Caregiver Support Program. Rafael Castro admitted that he lied about needing high-level assistance for daily activities, including dressing and undressing, personal hygiene, and grooming. As a result, Miriam Castro received monthly payments to be a full-time caregiver for her husband while he continued to work as a full-time federal employee. The VA OIG and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration investigated this case.
