WASHINGTON D.C. – Another U.S. Army National Guard soldier pleaded guilty Wednesday for her role in a bribery and fraud scheme that caused $30,000 in losses to the U.S. Army National Guard Bureau, authorities said.
So far, the recruiting investigation had led to charges against 27 people, 20 of whom have pleaded guilty, according to federal prosecutors.
Specialist Danielle Applin, 27, of Harker Heights, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of bribery, officials said.
The case against Applin arises from an investigation involving allegations that former and current military recruiters and U.S. soldiers in the San Antonio and Houston areas engaged in a wide-ranging corruption scheme to illegally obtain fraudulent recruiting bonuses, authorities.
Applin admitted that she paid an Army National Guard recruiter for the names and Social Security numbers of potential Army National Guard soldiers.
Applin further admitted that she used the personal identifying information for these potential soldiers to claim that she was responsible for referring these potential soldiers to join the Army National Guard, when in fact she had not referred them, prosecutors said.
As a result of these fraudulent representations, Applin collected approximately $13,000 in fraudulent bonuses, according to the U.S. Justice Department.