Man Indicted After Allegedly Concealing Military Vet Uncle’s Dying, Stealing His Advantages

A Missouri man is accused of locking his uncle — a U.S. Military veteran with quadriplegia — in a storage and concealing his dying for 5 years to be able to steal his incapacity advantages and use the cash on unique reptiles and “lavish holidays.”

Brian Ditch, 44, is accused of stealing at the very least $650,000 after he started to “fraudulently” receive his uncle’s authorities advantages when he was made accountable for his care in 2008, in keeping with a press release from the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace, Japanese District of Missouri.

Ditch was indicted on Wednesday, Could 7, and charged with 4 felony counts of wire fraud, 4 counts of aggravated id theft, two counts of theft of presidency property and one rely of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Whereas his uncle was below his care, Ditch allegedly saved him “locked in his storage and below his management,” usually 24 hours at a time. His uncle was compelled to “sit in his personal urine and feces with out the power to eat or drink,” the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace mentioned, citing the indictment. Throughout that point, Ditch was receiving $9,559 per 30 days from the U.S. Division of Veterans Affairs in incapacity compensation advantages.

Since 2008, Ditch’s uncle additionally earned $235,210 in social safety incapacity insurance coverage advantages and retirement insurance coverage advantages from the Social Safety Administration.

After his uncle died in 2019, Ditch allegedly “advised family that he had moved his uncle right into a nursing residence” as he hid the physique, in an effort to proceed stealing cash. In March, authorities lastly uncovered the uncle’s physique frozen in a trash can with three shotguns — which Ditch was barred from possessing as a convicted felon, per the indictment.

Ditch has beforehand been convicted of a number of different crimes, together with housebreaking and home battery, in keeping with NBC affiliate KDSK. His uncle, recognized as Thomas Clubb, had dementia and was unable to manage his bowels or use his arms and ft, the outlet reported.

Ditch’s cousin Angie Crowder advised KDSK that Clubb was round 19 when he was paralyzed in a automobile crash in Germany whereas serving within the U.S. Military. Finally, after Ditch knowledgeable household that Clubb was at a nursing residence, family members grew involved and received in contact — earlier than they heard from a detective, per KDSK.

On March 21, Clubb’s physique was found wrapped in a trash bag, partially frozen and stuffed inside a rubbish can in a shed, in keeping with the outlet.

In response to the discharge, Ditch used his uncle’s advantages funds to purchase unique reptiles, “fund lavish holidays” and “enrich himself.”

“The Division of Veterans Affairs Workplace of Inspector Common is dedicated to holding accountable anybody who exploits veterans or steals their VA advantages,” Particular Agent in Cost Gregory Billingsley with the VA OIG’s Central Subject Workplace mentioned in a press release. “VA’s applications and companies are established to justly compensate deserving veterans and the VA OIG will carry to justice those that would defraud these applications.”

Ditch, who appeared in U.S. District Court docket in St. Louis on Friday, Could 9, pleaded not responsible, a spokesperson for the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace advised PEOPLE on Saturday, Could 10.

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The case was investigated by the Salem Police Division, the Division of Veterans Affairs Workplace of Inspector Common, the Social Safety Administration Workplace of Inspector Common and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives — with Assistant U.S. Legal professional Derek Wiseman prosecuting.

Wiseman advised KDSK that the case is “certainly one of a sort.”

“That is an abhorrent, reprehensible crime, a criminal offense dedicated in opposition to a member of the family, a veteran. Anyone with out the usage of their legs and arms. It is a disturbing and flagrant lack of regard for human life,” he mentioned.

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