A fraudulent veterans organization operating in Marion County has been permanently shut down after members were found to be posing as military veterans to solicit donations, according to the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office.
The Office of Consumer Protection secured a court order from a Franklin County Circuit Court judge to halt operations of “Your Hometown Heroes.” Attorney General Russell Coleman announced Monday that the order requires the group to cease all unlawful activity in Kentucky.
Investigation and Charges
Coleman’s office launched an investigation after arrests were made in Marion County. According to arrest citations, individuals associated with the group falsely claimed to be veterans despite never having served in the military.
One person faces criminal charges in Marion County, with a trial scheduled for May.
“Stealing in the name of those who have sacrificed for our country is not just fraud — it is a betrayal of honor itself,” Coleman said in a news release.
Financial Penalties and Permanent Ban
The judge imposed a $421,000 monetary judgment against the organization, reflecting $1,000-per-day contempt fines for 421 days of noncompliance.
The order also:
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Permanently bars “Your Hometown Heroes” from engaging in charitable activities or fundraising in Kentucky
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Vacates the group’s corporate charter
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Revokes or suspends its business licenses, permits and certificates
Any recovered funds will be returned to the Kentucky General Assembly after the Attorney General’s Office recoups its costs.
Nicole Horseman, commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Kentucky, voiced support for the action, stating that fraud against veterans “will not be tolerated in Kentucky.”
Previous Action Against Veterans-Related Fraud
Coleman’s office also previously shut down C&P Garage, a Hardin County organization accused of falsely claiming accreditation with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and misusing funds intended to assist veterans.