Frank C. Vass, Jr., 56, of Surfside Beach appeared in a Florence federal courtroom Tuesday. US Attorney Bill Nettles said he was sentenced to 27 months in prison with five years supervised release for theft of government funds. A judge also ordered Vass to pay $483,532.25 in restitution to the Veterans Affairs Administration and to the Social Security Administration.
Officials say Vass lied to the Veterans Affairs Administration about his physical condition by claiming he was only able to walk a few steps at a time and required to remain in a wheelchair all other times. The false claims lasted from December 1999 to December 2008.
Officials say Agents with the Department of Veterans Affairs and Social Security Administration filmed Frank Vass walking his dog, washing his van, and driving to the Veterans Affairs Administration where he would unload his wheelchair and wheel himself in for treatment.
