ALEXANDRIA, VA. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Virginia, Eastern), published as received.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Rupert Granville Miller, 56, of Chester, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for engaging in a travel fraud scheme that cost the government over $197,000. Miller was also ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $197,505.83.
“Miller’s fraud cost taxpayers nearly $200,000,” said Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We take these crimes seriously and will investigate and prosecute individuals who engage in this activity. I want to thank our investigative partners at the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service for their terrific work on this case.”
According to court documents, from in or about January 2011 through November 2015, Miller was employed as a deputy inspector general with Training and Education Command and Training Command at Marine Corps Base Quantico. During this time, Miller used the Department of Defense electronic travel management system to submit travel claims for what he claimed to be official business. As part of his legitimate duties, Miller travelled to Marine Corps locations around the country to inspect their facilities and operations. However, Miller began adding illegitimate rendezvous to his official trips, claiming they were for official business, and then receiving reimbursements for the rendezvous. Miller also submitted claims to travel to various foreign locations including Japan, Germany, Singapore, and the Dominican Republic. In order to justify his claims for travel, Miller forged his supervisor’s signature and created false documents in order to have his travel approved.
“Due to his greed, Rupert Miller chose to commit criminal acts, which violated the public's trust and the very principles of the position he held as the Deputy Inspector General of the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) Training and Education Command,” said DCIS Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Craig, Jr. “His actions are not reflective of those of active duty service members and civilian employees of the USMC who serve their country honorably and with great pride. Along with our law enforcement partners, DCIS will continue to aggressively pursue allegations of fraud and corruption impacting the Department of Defense.”
“Fraud drains money and resources from the nation's warfighters,” said Jeremy Gauthier, Special Agent in Charge of the NCIS Washington DC Field Office. “NCIS is committed to investigating fraud and helping hold accountable those who place their personal gain above the needs of the nation's military.”
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Robert E. Craig, Special Agent in Charge for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office; and Jeremy Gauthier, Special Agent in Charge of the NCIS Washington, D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean K. Price and Angelissa D. Savino prosecuted the case along with former Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Nathanson.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:16-cr-71.
