WASHINGTON –  Every year, hundreds of veterans have their benefits stolen by a person who’s supposed to be taking care of them, according to Congresswoman Julia Brownley.

Now, this California lawmaker says she’s trying to make sure to help anyone who is taken advantage of. She said there’s an outrageous loophole that needs to close in order for veterans who are a part of the fiduciary program at the VA to get any stolen money back. 

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In the case where veterans are ill or handicapped and can’t take care of their own finances, a fiduciary is appointed to manage their benefits. 

The Fleet Reserve Association Executive Director Chris Slawinski agreed there’s a problem with the system. 

“Our justification for the fiduciary’s program was to protect veterans,” said Slawinski. 

He and his team just turned in a letter addressed to Brownley that signifies their support to stand behind her bill which is aimed at protecting veterans against “abuse and fraud”. 

“Those veterans are probably the most critical type of veterans out there,” said Slawinski. “They’re vulnerable.”

He said, if a fiduciary, who is appointed by the VA to take care of a veteran’s finances is caught embezzling their money, it would be nearly impossible for the veteran to get back their money if the fiduciary isn’t working with 10 or more veterans.

“You know if it’s nine and not 10, then those nine veterans pretty much don’t have recourse,” said Slawinski. 

For example, this past summer in California, a fiduciary was caught misappropriating and embezzling funds, funneling tens of thousands of dollars from veterans into his own account.

But he was only managing finances for eight veterans. Because that’s less than the 10-veteran threshold, the Department of Veterans Affairs is limited in its resources to reimburse those veterans.

“It’s probably more prevalent than a lot of people think,” said Slawinski. “The issue is how many times it’s been reported.”

Slawinski remembered his own two decades dedicated to the Navy. Now, full circle, he has worked the last decade and a half in the Fleet Reserve Association and has seen fiduciary misappropriation claims dozens of times in his career. 

“For the vulnerable ones especially,” said Slawinski. “It’s a big issue for us as far as ensuring that they’re protected in the benefits that they’ve earned.”

Slawinski is extending his support to the California Congresswoman who is the Chairwoman of the House Veteran’s Affairs Health Subcommittee. 

He said after his service, and his dad’s service in World War II, he wants to ensure veterans, who feel misused, will be listened to. 

“That’s kind of why I fight for what I do,” said Slawinski. “Not only experienced it first hand but also saw my father go through a lot of the pain of basically the injuries that occurred after the war.”

Slawinski ensured the VA’s fiduciary program is an essential part of helping veterans who can’t help themselves. But said there should be more attention on this program to make sure no veterans are taken advantage of.