Staff Report
DRIPPING SPRINGS — A federal jury has found a Dripping Springs woman guilty for defrauding the Veterans Administration and Social Security Administration of over $300,000.
Court documents and evidence presented at trial showed that Josephine Perez-Gorda, 39, defrauded the VA and SSA by overstating the severity and extent of her spouse Justin Perez-Gorda’s disability from October 2011 through August 2017.
Mr. Perez, who died in January 2022, was an Army veteran who participated in the fraud. The couple claimed he was paralyzed from the waist down from an injury he suffered while on active duty, and applied for and received a specially equipped vehicle, specially adapted home and additional compensation based on his disability rating.
The investigation began after KENS 5 ran a news story in 2015 titled “Homes for Our Troops Questions Veteran’s Paralysis after Video.” The story involved the Perez’s specially adapted house in Dripping Springs that was gifted to them by non-profit foundation Homes for Our Troops in December 2013. VA Office of Inspector General agents videotaped Mr. Perez walking around his neighborhood without assistance and he was seen playing basketball. KENS 5 reporters also videotaped Mr. Perez carrying lumber in his garage.
Mrs. Perez was found guilty of 11 counts of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud, one count of healthcare fraud, three counts of false statements related to a healthcare matter, one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, and one count of theft of government funds.
Sentencing is set for Dec. 20, 2022. She faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the wire fraud and mail fraud charges, up to 10 years in prison on each of the healthcare fraud charges and theft of government funds charge, and up to five years in prison on each of the false statements related to a healthcare matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Surovic and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Miller are prosecuting the case.
