'Fake' war hero allegedly posed as wounded Purple Heart recipient while stealing $81K from veterans group
David Agtsteribbe, 58, of Long Island, allegedly claimed to have been awarded a Purple Heart while portraying himself as a wounded war hero.
Key points
- A man's alleged deception as a decorated combat veteran came crashing down this week after officials revealed he had actually been discharged from the military for bad conduct and accused him of bilking $81,000 from a veterans group.
- MAN ACCUSED OF STEALING MORE THAN $735K AS POWER OF ATTORNEY TO PURCHASE PROPERTY, ONLYFANS AND LIFE COACHING In some of the documents, he also allegedly claimed to be a retired lieutenant colonel, despite having been discharged as a private.
- Starting in 2022, Agtsteribbe allegedly transferred money from the organization's accounts into his personal checking account to cover personal expenses, including Amazon purchases, bills, a private business membership program, streaming services, travel, leisure activities, clothing and accessories.
Prosecutors also revealed that Agtsteribbe had allegedly been applying for and obtaining memberships in other veterans organizations dating back to 2019, including the Military Order of the Purple Heart.
He is accused of falsely portraying himself as a war hero, infiltrating an organization for those who actually served this country and then betraying their trust by stealing their money.
Additional details
- In 2023 and 2024, Agtsteribbe allegedly submitted falsified discharge papers to the Town of Southampton in an attempt to avoid a $50 resident permit fee and obtain a handicap parking permit.
- The forged credentials helped him secure a position as a finance officer at a local veterans' organization, where prosecutors say he stole the group's funds to cover personal expenses.
- EX-CIA OFFICER FOUND WITH OVER $40M IN GOLD BARS PLEADS GUILTY TO $194M FRAUD He later allegedly altered his discharge documents to portray himself with an honorable military record.
- Agtsteribbe has been charged with grand larceny in the second degree, criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, two counts of offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree and three counts of falsifying business records in the first degree.
- Prosecutors requested substantial bail, citing his criminal history and the current charges, including $100,000 cash, a $200,000 secured bond or a $1 million partially secured surety bond to ensure his return to court.
How this summary was made: extractive summary — built from the sources' own reporting. It is drawn only from the reporting of the sources listed below — read the originals for full detail. How we summarize →
Advertisement
Every article behind this summary — 1 article from 1 outlet
Get stories like this in your inbox.
Subscribe — it's freeOne free email at 6am — your topics, deduplicated, five minutes. No account, no paywall.