Mikhail Wicker, of Dilworth, Minnesota, was charged with defrauding the VA by falsely claiming to have been a decorated veteran of the US Marine Corps and claiming that he suffered from combat-related injuries that qualified him for disability and other financial benefits. Wicker submitted forged and falsified documents in support of his benefits application to the VA, falsely claiming that he had been a prisoner of war during a deployment in Iraq in 2005. As a result, Wicker received more than $100,000 in benefits, which he was not entitled to because he had never served in the military. Wicker is charged with one count of wire fraud, one count of false military discharge certificates, one count of fraudulent use of military medals, and one count of theft of government funds. The VA OIG, Department of Defense OIG, and Social Security Administration OIG investigated this case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Dilworth Police Department.
