Press Release
PORT SAINT LUCIE MAN INDICTED FOR FRAUD
March 23, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Carol Kisthardt, Special Agent in Charge, Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), Mayport Field Office, and Rick Walker, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, announced that a federal grand jury on March 19, 2009, indicted Harold “Gil” Coombes, of Port St. Lucie, Florida, on charges of federal employee compensation fraud and filing false claims against the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1920. Coombes was arraigned in federal court in Fort Pierce on Monday, March 23, 2009, at an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Frank J. Lynch, Jr.
Coombes had worked as a civilian employee of the U.S. Department of the Navy as a fireman on the U.S. Naval Academy installation in Annapolis, Maryland, until 2004. In March of that year, he reported a back injury on the job and subsequently filed for federal employee compensation benefits.
As a recipient of the federal employee disability benefits, Coombes was required to file annual statements with the United States Department of Labor, stating whether and how much income he received from other work. The Indictment charges that Coombes signed and submitted forms to the Department of Labor in 2007 and 2008, stating under penalty of perjury that he had no outside employment or income, when in fact Coombes was actively running a charter fishing business known as “Smokin’ Em” Charters, and personally piloting fishing boats based in Fort Pierce, Florida. The Indictment alleges that failure to report outside work and income caused Coombes to receive significantly more in disability payments than he is entitled under the federal law.
U.S. Attorney Acosta commended the investigative efforts of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and the Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, the two agencies that jointly investigated this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Theodore Cooperstein.
Coombes is currently free on a personal surety bond pending resolution of the case, and permitted to continue operation of his fishing charter service.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
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