Jasen Butler, a 38-year-old resident of Jupiter, Florida, was sentenced on Apr. 8 to five years in prison and ordered to forfeit assets after being convicted of wire fraud, forgery, and money laundering in connection with fraudulent military fuel contracts.
The case highlights the risks posed by fraudulent activity targeting U.S. military procurement systems and the efforts of federal authorities to deter such crimes.
According to evidence presented at trial, Butler owned Independent Marine Oil Services LLC and manipulated the competitive bidding process for military fuel contracts by submitting falsified documents—including wire transfer memos and invoices—to several U.S. warships between August 2022 and January 2024. The ships were seeking fuel in international ports located in Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Croatia. Authorities said Butler received over $4.5 million for expenses that were never actually incurred.
After coming under scrutiny from Navy officials, Butler attempted to evade detection by using a false identity and pretending to work for a fictitious company division. He used proceeds from his scheme to purchase multi-million-dollar properties in Florida and Colorado; those properties are now subject to forfeiture under Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks's order.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said: “The defendant stole millions of dollars from our military with a fake job, fake identity, and fake invoices. This administration takes defrauding the American military seriously with a prison sentence reflecting the seriousness of the crime.”
Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division said: “The Defendant made his choice: to rip off the federal government and the Navy to line his own pockets. The Justice Department made its choice: to pursue maximum incarceration for the Defendant. In response, Judge Middlebrooks rightly ordered the Defendant imprisoned for 5 years.”
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida added: “This sentence reflects the seriousness of what the evidence at trial showed: a calculated scheme that targeted the U.S. military for personal gain... When you defraud our armed forces... you are undermining operations that protect this country.”
Special Agent in Charge Josh Packer (U.S Coast Guard Investigative Service) stated that CGIS will continue working with partners "to identify,
investigate,
and hold those accountable who exploit government systems." Special Agent Greg Gross (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) emphasized zero tolerance toward fraud within Navy procurement systems.
The prosecution was led by attorneys from both DOJ's Antitrust Division and Southern District of Florida office; investigations involved multiple agencies as part of DOJ’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force—a joint effort combating antitrust crimes affecting government spending at all levels.
