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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Married Couple Stole From Veterans

SAN DIEGO (CN) - A husband and wife were convicted Friday of embezzling $400,000 from the Wounded Marine Careers Foundation and spending the money on themselves.

Judith Ann Paixao, 61, and Kevin Lombard, 54, both of Brunswick, Ga., were each convicted of 11 or more federal counts, including conspiracy, theft and false claims, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

They ran the nonprofit foundation that claimed to train injured veterans for careers in the film industry. But a jury convicted them of defrauding the VA for training and equipment they never provided, and of embezzling from the foundation.

Paixao also was convicted of mail fraud for defrauding another charity of scholarship money.

They claimed they personally donated $200,000 to start the foundation, but took more then $400,000 from it for themselves. They spent it on a vacation in Bermuda, a sailing trip off San Diego and other fripperies, prosecutors said.

Both are free on bond. They were ordered to return on Oct. 15 for a sentencing hearing.

Both were convicted of conspiracy and three counts of false claims. Paixao was convicted of eight counts of theft, Lombard of seven.

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