Woman who faked her own death to avoid federal prison found hiding in closet at home
On June 30, Julie M. Wheeler, 43, of Beckley, West Virginia, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for federal health care fraud. In imposing a sentencing enhancement for obstruction, the judge overseeing the case found that Wheeler attempted to obstruct and impede the administration of justice by staging an “elaborate hoax” to fake her own death to avoid federal sentencing.
On May 31, 2020, Wheeler and other family members staged her fall from the Grandview State Park overlook. Wheeler’s family members then falsely reported to law enforcement her fall from Grandview Ledges at the New River Gorge. This report led to an extensive search effort in the New River Gorge by state, federal and local authorities, assisted by numerous volunteers.
The West Virginia State Police eventually located Wheeler at her own home, hiding in a closet. Wheeler and her husband, Rodney Wheeler, are presently charged in Raleigh County Magistrate Court for numerous felony and misdemeanor offenses relating to the false reporting of an emergency. The court found that this scheme contributed to Wheeler’s failure to accept responsibility for her criminal conduct and enhanced her federal sentence accordingly.
“Absolutely despicable. Wheeler’s egregious fraud scheme denied much needed spina bifida care for her own sister while she fleeced the Veteran’s Administration of almost $300,000,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Then she faked her own disappearance to evade sentencing, risking the lives and resources of first responders and emergency personnel. Outrageous. Terribly tragic case all around.”
Wheeler pled guilty on February 11, 2020, and admitted that she submitted fraudulent applications to the VA Spina Bifida Health Care Benefits Program where she overbilled for providing spina bifida care for a family member, her sister identified as K.L.
Wheeler was the owner of a homecare services company, JRW Homecare Support Services. Wheeler was hired to provide services to K.L. due to K.L.’s spina bifida condition at the VA approved rate of $736 a day to provide eight hours of daily services. Wheeler’s care was supposed to include bathing, grooming, changing K.L.’s clothes and other issues associated with K.L.’s hygiene, food intake and lifestyle.
Wheeler did not provide her sister the care for and during the period described.
Wheeler submitted claims to the VA stating that she provided care for K.L. eight hours a day, seven days a week, from October 2016 to April 2018 at the full daily rate of $736 a day. Wheeler gave a statement to the VA and the FBI admitting that she greatly inflated the rate and quality of the care that she provided to K.L. This was corroborated by other witnesses who provided statements that Wheeler did not provide eight hours of daily care.
Wheeler further admitted that her conduct defrauded the VA of hundreds of thousands of dollars and deprived the victim of services. The victim of the spina bifida diagnosis, K.L., has since passed away.
After serving her prison sentence, she will be placed on supervised release for three years. She was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $289,055.07, an amount calculated by the Veterans Administration (VA) and approved by the court.
(Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of West Virginia)
~ Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Connect with Richard on Facebook and Twitter
