U.S. Attorney Duane Evans announced that John Sutton of Mandeville pled guilty in federal court before Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Brown to one count of wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud the Department of Veterans Affairs.
His co-conspirators, James Thomas Sinyard, Jr and Mary Gigi Sinyard were charged by bill of information on February 14, 2023. On May 18, 2023 they pled guilty to one count of wire fraud. Co-conspirator Marc Quiroz was charged by bill of information on April 11 and August 17 he pled guilty to one count of wire fraud.
According to the Bill of Information, Sutton submitted fraudulent affidavits for home aid services provided when he knew that those services were not actually provided.
Beginning in or around April 2013 and continuing until July 2018, Sutton submitted false affidavits and applications to Veterans Affairs on behalf of veterans and their spouses, claiming that VetAttend had provided home services to the veterans, when in fact, it had not. During the scheme to defraud, Veterans Affairs issued funds to over 300 veterans and/or their surviving spouses from which Sutton fraudulently appropriated, without the knowledge of the veterans, totaling approximately $4 million.
Sutton faces a possible maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years, a $250,000 fine, up to three (3) years supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
His sentencing is set for November 9, 2023.
