The former spouse of a deceased U.S. Army veteran, Miranda Rachel Briggs, has been indicted for wire fraud and theft of government funds, according to an announcement by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Georgia. Briggs, 33, from Rincon, Georgia, was charged with unlawfully claiming the veteran's benefits after his death. If convicted, she faces up to 20 years behind bars along with significant fines.
Details revealed by the indictment show that Briggs married the veteran, identified by the initials G.B., in November 2015. She kept her maiden name, Fisher, and filed for divorce less than a year later. After the divorce was finalized, and at G.B.’s request, the Department of Veterans Affairs promptly removed Briggs as a beneficiary of his benefits. Despite declaring the divorce in her 2018 Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings, Briggs filed for VA benefits as G.B.’s "surviving spouse" after his death. Within months, she appropriated approximately $49,000 from the Civilian Health and Medical Program and about $80,000 through the VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Program, as mentioned by the Justice Department.
In a statement obtained by the Justice Department, U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg conveyed the gravity of the charges. Briggs's initial claim was denied by the VA, however, she provided additional paperwork that falsely stated her marriage to G.B. lasted until his death, which led the VA to grant her the benefits.
Further complicating her scheme, Briggs changed her name to Miranda Rachel Briggs after filing a petition in Chatham County Superior Court. She was also named the administrator of G.B.’s estate in April 2021 by asserting she was his surviving spouse. However, in March 2023 a court decision ousted her from that position as she was not, in fact his lawful surviving spouse. Briggs is slated to make an appearance in Magistrate Court in Brunswick on July 26, 2024.
The charges stem from vigorous investigations led by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General. The case against Briggs is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia G. Rhodes and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Z. Spitulnik. The investigation is part of an ongoing effort to ensure that the funds intended to support veterans and their legitimate beneficiaries are not compromised by fraudulent acts.
