Man Arraigned for Embezzling Over $200k from His Father’s VA Account

An Atlanta man has been arraigned in court for allegations that he embezzled over $200k worth of VA funds intended for the care of his disabled father.

An Atlanta man has been arraigned in court for allegedly embezzling over $200,000 from his disabled father’s beneficiary account funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

According to an announcement from the Justice Department, William Dorsey, Jr., 42, of Atlanta, Georgia is charged with embezzlement of funds intended for the care of his father, William Dorsey Sr., a 67-year-old disabled Vietnam veteran diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia.

According to information presented in court, on May 20, 2010, William Dorsey, Jr., signed a fiduciary agreement agreeing to manage the benefit payments provided by the VA for the care of his father. According to medical records from the secure medical center where he resides, William Dorsey, Sr., is wheel-chair bound, cannot communicate, and requires total assistance with his daily activities.

As part of the fiduciary agreement, Dorsey, Jr., agreed to spend the VA benefit funds only for his father’s daily needs, 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, banking records indicate all of these conditions had been violated, including the direct transfer of money from his father’s account to his own personal account. According to a financial analysis conducted by the VA, over $200,000 remains unaccounted for.

During this same time period, nursing staff reported that Dorsey, Sr., only needed approximately $50-$100 to cover expenses each month, and that William Dorsey, Jr., commonly provided items of inferior quality, such as used oversized clothing and half empty bottles of shampoo. According to one social worker supervisor, the attending nurses felt compelled on occasion to buy “basic necessities” for Dorsey, Sr., out of their own pocket.

William Dorsey, Jr. was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan J. Baverman. The indictment only contains charges and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

“Fiduciaries assume a solemn duty to care for veterans who served their country through their military service and now are unable to care for themselves. The VA Office of Inspector General is dedicated to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that any fiduciary who embezzles VA funds intended to provide necessary support to our nation’s disabled veterans is held responsible,” David Spilker, Special Agent in Charge, VA Office of Inspector General, said in a statement about the case.

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Ian Smith is one of the co-founders of FedSmith.com. He has over 20 years of combined experience in media and government services, having worked at two government contracting firms and an online news and web development company prior to his current role at FedSmith.