He Never Served: Jury Convicts Stolen-Valor Fraudster Who Posed as a Decorated Marine

Wicker spent years posing as a Purple Heart Marine who deployed to Iraq, backing it with a counterfeit DD-214 and fake medal certificates. The VA paid him more than $140,000. Marines from the unit he claimed testified he was never there.

A federal jury convicted Mikhail Robin Wicker of wire fraud, mail fraud, using a false military discharge certificate, and fraudulent use of military medals after a one-week trial.

Prosecutors showed Wicker spent years posing as a decorated Marine, falsely claiming he deployed to Iraq in 2005 with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, and held the Purple Heart and Prisoner of War Medal. He backed the story with a counterfeit DD-214 and fake medal certificates submitted to the VA, which paid him more than $140,000 in healthcare, disability, and education benefits.

In fact, Wicker never served in any branch of the armed services, and records placed him in Michigan during his claimed deployment. Lima Company Marines testified he never served with them.

"All of Wicker's claims were untrue. He never served in any branch of the armed services."
— U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Minnesota

Source: U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Minnesota. 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).