Woman Sentenced for Stealing Veterans’ Benefits

In San Antonio today, 58-year-old Cornelia V. Hurling was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison for her role in misappropriating veterans’ benefits announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr.

In addition to the prison term, Senior United States District Judge David A. Ezra ordered that Hurling pay $141,734.22 restitution and be placed on supervised release for a period of three years after completing her prison term.

On September 16, 2015, Hurling pleaded guilty before United States Magistrate Judge John W. Primomo to one count of misappropriation by a Veterans Affairs (VA) fiduciary.  By pleading guilty, Hurling admitted that from January 2008 to September 2013, having been appointed as a VA fiduciary with responsibilities to receive and manage money for the benefit of veterans who were incompetent or incapable of handling their own affairs, Hurling misappropriated approximately $141,734.22 of the veterans’ benefits and instead used that money for her own benefit. 

This investigation was conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General.  Assistant United States Attorney Thomas P. Moore prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.