Federal prosecutors have indicted the owner of that dog training school that was raided by the FBI earlier this month with ripping off veterans benefits, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Records were seized August 8 at the Universal K-9 school on Tradesman Rd. on the north side, and the dogs that were being trained to become support animals for veterans were turned over to Animal Care Services.
The 14 count indictment accused Bradley Lane Croft, 46, with a scheme to defraud the federal government, including wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering.
The feds say Croft provided false information to the veterans he was recruiting as students, including instructors' names, certifications, and training documents.
Croft is accused of soliciting veterans as students indicating they would use their GI Bill benefits to pay the cost of becoming a dog handler, a cost that ranged between $6500 and $12,000.
Altogether, the indictment charges Croft with filing 185 claims for GI benefits, relating to the education of 132 veterans, and totaling $1.26 million.
The feds say in addition to the dogs, the FBI seized a motor home, two pickup trucks, two jet skis, and $140,000 in cash, all of which federal prosecutors say will be used to repay the federal government.
If convicted, Croft faces 20 years on the wire fraud charges, 20 years for money laundering, and up to 2 years on the aggravated identity theft charge.
Croft remains in custody pending a hearing next week.