Central Pa. pair accused of taking more than $300,000 from disabled veteran

U.S. Attorney David Freed said Monday his office has charged Jason Ehrhart, 48, of Thompsontown, PA, with health care fraud. He further charged Laurie Ehrhart, 48, of Newport, PA, with health care fraud and conspiracy to commit health care fraud. The Ehrharts used to be married.

The office said the charges pertain to an unnamed former Perry County resident who came down with multiple sclerosis while serving in the Army in 1985. The veteran was permanently hospitalized at the VA hospital in Lebanon in 2004 and died there in October, according to Freed's office.

According to Freed's office, Jason Ehrhart in 2006 gained permission to handle the veteran's finances and serve as his legal custodian. Between January of 2009 and August of 2016, the government paid $476,260 in disability benefits and clothing allowances on behalf of the veteran, authorities said.

Authorities allege the Ehrharts spent at least $316,360 of those funds on themselves. Authorities say they spent money on things including regular restaurant dinners for their children and friends, vacations to Disney World, two cars and dental work. Jason Ehrhart submitted false accounting statements to the government, claiming to have paid for things including the veteran's mortgage and maintenance on his specially equipped van, which was allegedly found broken down and abandoned along a Perry County road.

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/10/central_pa_pair_accused_of_tak.html