Disabled Female Veteran, 69, Financially Defrauded for $120,000: Police

A North Carolina man is claimed to have financially exploited a 69-year-old disabled veteran, amounting to hundreds of thousands of stolen funds.

Richard Allen Gilbert is alleged to have defrauded the veteran out of some $120,000 after the pair met via Facebook Dating, a virtual matchmaking service, and developed a relationship, according to the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina.

Military.com reached out to Sampson County Sheriff’s Office for comment.

Gilbert allegedly made false claims about connections to government agencies and the military to gain the victim’s trust before accessing her financial accounts and debit cards, according to multiple local news reports.

He purportedly claimed other people needed the victim’s cards to track her finances and made unauthorized transactions on her Navy Federal debit card between Aug. 24 and Sept. 15.

How Gilbert Was Apprehended

The Sampson County Sheriff’s Office began their investigation on Sept. 17 and the Pine Knoll Shores Police Department arrested Gilbert in Carteret County on Sept. 22. Investigators then searched a property connected to Gilbert.

Melissa Diana Simmons entered a guilty plea on Tuesday for defrauding an elderly Vietnam veteran with dementia out of large sums of money. (Adobe Stock)

The sheriff’s office then charged Gilbert on Sept. 28 with felony exploitation of an older or disabled adult, felony obtaining property by false pretense, felony financial card fraud, and felony extortion.

“Cases like this are a reminder that financial exploitation does not always begin with a stranger asking for money,” Sheriff Jimmy Thornton told the Sampson Independent. “It can begin with someone building trust over weeks or months and gradually gaining control over a victim’s finances, property or personal life.”

Our investigators will continue following the evidence wherever it leads, and we encourage anyone who believes they may have been victimized in a similar manner to come forward.

The office said three other women have since been identified as possible victims.

The investigation remains active, and the office has said that anyone who has had financial dealings with Gilbert or believes they might have been victimized by him should contact the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division.

Rise of Fraud and Scams

Veterans are increasingly targeted by criminals.

9540287 (1) — This stock image illustrates the issue of fraud. (Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS)

The Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division on April 7 aimed “to zealously investigate and prosecute” those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars, as part of President Donald Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud that is chaired by Vice President JD Vance.

According to data from AARP’s Veteran Fraud Surveys, approximately 27% of veterans (an estimated 5 million individuals) have lost money to fraud or financial exploitation.

As per their 2025 survey, 39% of veterans had been solicited by someone claiming to represent the VA or another government agency. Another 28% believed their veteran status made them a target.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported that in 2025, veterans, active-duty service members and their families reported losing $684 million to fraud—an increase from $583 million in 2024.