Cavanaugh pleads guilty for collecting over $250,000 through fraudulent means (Image via U.S. District of Rhode Island)

Sarah Jane Cavanaugh update: Rhode Island woman pleads guilty to $250,000 fraud for posing as sick Marine vet

Modified Jul 14, 2022 20:33 GMT

A Rhode Island woman, identified as Sarah Jane Cavanaugh, has pleaded guilty to fraud, according to federal prosecutors. A resident of East Greenwich, 31-year-old Sarah Jane Cavanaugh was arrested on March 14, 2022, by federal agents, as per a press release from U.S. Attorney’s Office of Rhode Island.

Cavanaugh stands accused of posing as a Marine Corps veteran diagnosed with cancer to collect $250,000 in veterans benefits and charitable contributions. U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha revealed in a statement that Cavanaugh has agreed to sign an agreement, admitting to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, forgery, and fraudulent use of medals.

SEGAMI

@segamihcfund

RHODE ISLAND FRAUD: Sarah Jane Cavanaugh Charged with Posing as Sick Marine Vet Collected $250,000 to Plead Guilty

She has also agreed to pay more than $82,000 in restitution. Given the severity of her crimes, she could very well spend over two decades in prison. However, prosecutors could consider reducing the term, according to court documents.

Sarah Jane Cavanaugh used real medical records of a veteran with cancer to create fraudulent documents

Cavanaugh never served in the Marine Corps. However, she was employed as a social worker for the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Providence. This gave her the opportunity to access documents, personal information, and medical records of a real veteran with cancer.

She then created fraudulent documents and medical records in her name, as per the prosecutors. They further stated that Cavanaugh had bought Purple Heart replicas and a Bronze Star that she wore with her Marine uniform when she attended public events.

Johnathan Mann

@JohnathanMann15

I’m probably late on the criminal cases and trials of court. But has Sarah Jane Cavanaugh been prosecuted at the fullest extent of the law?

Attorney Cunha claimed that Sarah Jane Cavanaugh also sought financial aid for lung cancer caused by inhaling a particular matter from a bomb explosion during her alleged time in Iran and Afghanistan.

Prosecutors detailed the funds Cavanaugh collected from various sources, including the $207,000 from the Wounded Warrior program to pay for groceries and physical therapy, and the $18,500 from “Code of Support” in Virginia for mortgage payments, repairs to her home furnace, a gym membership, and other bills. She also received $4,700 from a fundraising website.

Task & Purpose

@TaskandPurpose

Sarah Jane Cavanaugh, 31, has agreed to plead guilty to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, forgery, and fraudulent use of medals and to pay more than $82,000 in restitution bit.ly/3z04T3P

Moreover, the accused reportedly collected $16,000 from CreatiVets, a charitable organization that provides therapy for veterans through art programs.

The jig was finally up when Sarah Jane Cavanaugh asked for help from the nonprofit organization HunterSeven. The latter then got in touch with Providence VA because they were suspicious of her identity. This prompted an inquiry which eventually led to her arrest.

In a press release, the U.S. Attorney's Office of Rhode Island wrote:

"Sarah Jane Cavanaugh is charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with using forged or counterfeited military discharge certificates, wire fraud, fraudulently holding herself out to be a medal recipient with intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefit, and aggravated identity theft."

After she was arrested by federal agents, Sarah Jane Cavanaugh appeared before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond. She was later released on a $50,000 unsecured bond, according to the press release.

Edited by
Mohini Banerjee