The Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) of the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”) initiated an investigation of GAVIN HART [DOB REDACTED] after receiving a tip from its hotline in March 2025. According to the hotline report, Hart had committed fraud against the VA by collecting the benefits of his uncle, deceased veteran Lawrence Hart (hereinafter referred to as “Lawrence”). The complainant informed the OIG that Lawrence had passed away in Brazil on November 8, 2017. The complaint further stated that Lawrence’s family had previously authorized Hart to become a Power of Attorney (“POA”) to deal with issues on behalf of Lawrence, including his VA benefits, and that Hart had actually obtained Lawrence’s VA benefits for himself for years after Lawrence had died.
Investigation by VA OIG and the BCA The OIG assigned Special Agent (“SA”) Laura Gulick to investigate the fraud report. SA Gulick reviewed Electronic Funds Transfer (“EFT”) records for the VA benefit payments to Lawrence. The EFT records indicated that Lawrence’s VA benefits were paid into a Wells Fargo bank account (account number ending 8040). This Wells Fargo account was owned by Lawrence. The EFT records further reflected that the VA benefits continued to be paid into the Wells Fargo account until the end of 2023 (i.e. For approximately six years after Lawrence had died). The OIG also involved the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (“BCA”) with the fraud investigation.
BCA SA Daniel Michener obtained a search warrant for Wells Fargo to produce records for the account that continued to receive Lawrence’s VA benefits payments for years after his death. Law enforcement received responsive records from Wells Fargo for the approximate time period of March 2018 through July 2024. An accountant with OIG conducted a forensic examination of the Wells Fargo account records. The forensic examination determined that the VA had deposited a total of $108,644.00 in benefits payments into the account from March 2018 through July 2024. Again, this entire time period occurred after Lawrence had died.
Moreover, the forensic examination revealed that transfers out of the Wells Fargo account had occurred. These transfers of funds went to four separate accounts in Hart’s name. Further, an additional $20,150.00 had been withdrawn as cash during the examined time periods that occurred after Lawrence’s death. The investigators also determined that Hart resides at [ADDRESS REDACTED] in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. Interview with Ivonny Hart As part of their investigation, the OIG and the BCA interviewed Lawrence’s daughter, Ivonny Hart.
Ivonny lives in Boa Vista, Brazil, and as a result, law enforcement utilized WhatsApp to conduct the interview. Ivonny stated that, after her father’s death, her cousin, Hart, had offered to help the family settle Lawrence’s affairs. Lawrence’s family authorized Hart to serve as POA, in part, so that he could work with the VA to cease the benefit payments to Lawrence. Ivonny stated that, soon after Hart became the POA for Lawrence, he stopped answering phone calls from Lawrence’s family living in Brazil.
