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Orange County resident Sharon Toney-Finch, of Newburgh, was arrested by the FBI’s White Collar Crime Task Force on Wednesday, May 1, following a two-year investigation.
According to federal prosecutors, Toney-Finch falsely claimed that she suffered combat-related injuries during a mortar attack and a separate vehicle rollover while serving in Iraq in 2010.
Those claims reportedly led to her receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in disability benefits from the US Department of Veterans Affairs since March 2016.
But her deception didn’t end there, according to prosecutors. The investigation found that Toney-Finch applied to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor and was awarded the distinguished military medal, given to those wounded or killed while serving, in March 2022.
She then used the stolen valor, which was falsely reflected on her altered military discharge certificate, to persuade people to donate to her military charity, the Yerik Israel Toney Foundation, according to prosecutors.
Donors were told that funds would be spent solely on supporting homeless veterans, but Toney-Finch actually used the money for personal expenses, prosecutors allege.
The Purple Heart ruse also earned her a vanity license plate from the New York Department of Motor Vehicles.
“Sharon Toney-Finch falsely claimed to have received a military award bestowed on those wounded or killed in the line of duty, and she used this lie to drive donations to her charitable organization, which in fact was a ruse the defendant allegedly used to line her own pockets,” said US Attorney Breon Peace.
“The defendant’s alleged crimes are dishonorable to the highest degree, and I thank the career prosecutors of this office and our law enforcement partners for bringing today’s charges and exposing Toney-Finch’s attempt to profit on stolen valor.”
Toney-Finch is charged with wire fraud, theft of government funds, stolen valor, and altering military discharge paperwork. She faces up to 32 years in federal prison if convicted on all counts.
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