Wisconsin Man Claimed He Was Highly-Decorated Navy SEAL

KENOSHA, WI — A Wisconsin man has been sentenced to more than four years in prison for falsely claiming he was a Navy SEAL wounded in Vietnam to get benefits.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Kenneth E. Jozwiak, 68, of Kenosha, was sentenced to more than four years in prison for crimes related to his false claims that he was a Navy SEAL wounded four times in Vietnam, Justice Department officials said.

Kenneth E. Jozwiak, 68, of Kenosha, Wisconsin, previously pleaded guilty to unlawfully exhibiting a military discharge certificate, theft of government money, making false statements to federal agents, and attempting to obstruct an official proceeding.

According to a news release issued by the Justice Department, Jozwiak in 2014, exhibited a DD-214 (military discharge certificate) that claimed, in part, that Jozwiak was a highly decorated Vietnam War veteran, that he was a four-time recipient of the Purple Heart, and that he was a Navy SEAL -- all entries Jozwiak knew were totally false, according to court documents.

Additionally, Jozwiak defrauded the Department of Veterans Affairs of $2,289 through veteran’s entitlements he received between August and December 2014.

In January 2015, Jozwiak made several false statements to federal agents about his fraudulent activities and his military service, and that he attempted to obstruct an official proceeding by tampering with a material witness, according to court documents.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer following an investigation by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General—Criminal Investigative Division.

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