JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville man was sentence Tuesday to two years in federal prison and ordered to repay federal agencies $63,773 for government benefits he received in an identity theft scheme.
The identity he stole was that of his estranged twin brother.
Wayne Bowen, 64, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft in January.
In 2014, Bowen used the name, Social Security card, and military discharge papers of his estranged twin brother to apply for federally subsidized housing benefits, Bowen's plea agreement states.
When interviewed by federal agents, Bowen admitted that he had been using his twin brother’s identity for years.
Bowen obtained a Florida identification card using his twin’s name and had been arrested and convicted of felony offenses under his twin’s identity, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg. Bowen initially told agents that he, like his twin, had served and been honorably discharged from the U.S. Army. He later admitted that was a lie, the news release states.
Due to Bowen’s fraudulent use of his twin’s identity, the VA provided him with $32,434 in medical services, HUD provided him with $18,905 in housing subsidies, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture funded $12,434 in nutritional benefits for him. Bowen’s twin has confirmed that he did not apply for any of these benefits and that he never gave Bowen permission to use his name, the news release states.