Fiduciary Took One Dying Veteran’s Money 45 Times — and Spent It in the Maldives

Rivers managed money for four veterans. She admitted stealing $135,000+ from one elderly, dying veteran at the Cincinnati VA hospital, and $23,000+ from three others — spent on travel to London, Zurich, Vienna, the Maldives.

Ishwanzya Rivers, a VA fiduciary managing money for four veterans, pleaded guilty to misappropriating her wards' funds.

She admitted stealing more than $135,000 from one elderly, dying veteran who lived at the VA hospital in Cincinnati, taking his money at least 45 times from June 2021 through November 2022. She stole smaller amounts totaling more than $23,000 from three other elderly or infirm veterans.

She spent the money on shopping, restaurants, and travel to New Orleans, Montego Bay, Cancun, London, Panama, Zurich, Vienna, and the Maldives. The case was investigated by the VA OIG's Central Field Office. Rivers had been charged in August 2025 — a case first noted in this library's fiduciary program investigation.

"Rivers admitted she misappropriated the victim's money at least 45 times"
— U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Ohio

Source: U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Ohio. Case file in the VA Fraud case files — part of the VA Fraud record. Cases are published as the courts decided them; amounts are stated as the Justice Department states them (billed, stolen, or ordered in restitution, as labeled).