Jacksonville Woman Charged with Theft of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs

Jacksonville, FL - Gail Starks (63, Jacksonville) has been charged by federal indictment with theft of government money or property and making a false statement to a federal agency. If convicted on all counts, Starks faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Starks that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $397,120, the proceeds of the theft of government money. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to the indictment, for 35 years, from June 1991 and continuing through August 2026, Starks knowingly and willfully stole Dependency and Indemnity Compensation benefits for spousal support from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Additionally, on August 11, 2026, upon investigation into her eligibility to receive such benefits, Starks knowingly and willfully misrepresented to a VA employee that she was not married, when, in fact, she was married.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.