A former Camp Pendleton Marine has pleaded guilty to defrauding the U.S. Marine Corps of more than $95,000 according to U.S. Attorney Laura E. Duffy.
Former Gunnery Sgt. Devin Pierra Alario, 40, pleaded guilty to one felony count of making false claims against the U.S., specifically for taking advantage of the military’s housing reimbursement benefit.
The benefit is available to reservists who are called to active duty, and it can be received in addition to the basic housing allowance they already get.
Alario illegally claimed reimbursements for rent he never paid, according to his plea agreement.
The Defense Criminal Investigative Service revealed that between June 2009 and Oct. 2011, Alario submitted 27 falsely inflated rental receipts for up to $3,800 per month.
He included a fake landlord, fake address and even fake leases that he had prepared to substantiate his repayment claims, court documents said.
In the end, he had made $95,013.10 from his scheme, according to Duffy. Under his plea deal, Alerio will have to pay the full amount back to the Marine Corps.
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The former Marine will be sentenced on July 25. He faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
