United States Attorney Jill E. Steinberg | U.S. Department of Justice
The former spouse of a deceased U.S. Army veteran has pled guilty to fraudulently claiming military benefits. Miranda Rachel Briggs, also known as "Miranda Rachel Fisher," aged 34, from Rincon, Georgia, admitted to wire fraud charges. This plea could result in up to 20 years in prison, alongside significant financial penalties and restitution.
Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, commented on the case: “Programs that financially benefit surviving family members of deceased veterans are designed to provide a safety net to those survivors,” adding that the plea highlights the determination of investigators and prosecutors in addressing such fraudulent activities.
Briggs' fraudulent actions trace back to November 2015 when she married G.B., a U.S. Army veteran while retaining her maiden name "Fisher." She filed for divorce less than a year later. Following their divorce finalization, G.B.'s request led the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to remove Briggs as a recipient of his benefits.
In January 2018, Briggs filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, affirming her divorce from G.B. After G.B.'s death two weeks later, she falsely claimed VA benefits as his surviving spouse and applied for additional benefits from the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs in April 2018.
These false claims resulted in Briggs receiving approximately $49,000 for medical care and about $80,000 from the VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Program.
Despite an initial denial by the VA regarding her claim to survivor benefits, Briggs submitted further documentation asserting she was married to G.B. until his death in 2018; this led to her being granted these benefits. Subsequently, she petitioned Chatham County Superior Court for a name change from Miranda Rachel Fisher to Miranda Rachel Briggs and was named administrator of G.B.'s estate after claiming spousal status at Chatham County Probate Court.
However, in March 2023, Chatham County Probate Court removed her as administrator upon finding she was divorced at G.B.'s time of death and thus not eligible for such a role.
U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood will schedule sentencing following a pre-sentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services.
David Spilker with the VA OIG Southeast Field Office stated: “This guilty plea holds the defendant accountable for defrauding vital VA programs that provides monetary benefits for survivors of service members and veterans.” He emphasized ongoing efforts with law enforcement partners against fraudulent activities compromising VA program integrity.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General with prosecution handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Z. Spitulnik and Patricia G. Rhodes.
