A South Mississippi barber owes the federal government nearly $1 million. Here’s why

A South Mississippi salon owner owes the federal government more than $900,000 after it found she stole thousands of dollars in benefit funds by falsely claiming to teach classes to veterans, a judge ruled last month.

April Tucker Beard, who owns April’s Mane Attraction and the barber academy that shares its name, must pay the United States $916,392 for “fraudulent veterans assistance claims” she made at her Moss Point salon and barber school, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi announced this week .

The U.S. filed a civil complaint against Beard in October. It did not charge her with criminal wrongdoing but said she “knowingly defrauded” a federal assistance program for veterans because she falsely claimed to teach 1,500 hours of classes to veterans.

The federal government says the veterans in her program never finished her classes.

But Beard’s business still raked in $235,734 in veterans benefits.

Todd Gee, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi said the veterans program “is an important part of our promise to aid our military veterans and their families for honorably serving our country.”

“This type of fraud drains funds from vital veterans’ programs,” he said, “and this office remains committed to holding offenders who abuse and exploit these programs accountable.”

The government says Beard took advantage of the Post-9/11 GI Bill education assistance program — which gives veterans tuition benefits, fees, monthly housing allowances and stipends for books and supplies.

The program exists to help veterans afford school and job training after they serve the country.

Beard exploited that program by maintaining false attendance records and payment ledgers to hide the fact that her school did not follow the program’s requirements, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. The government also said she falsely claimed to charge the same tuition to VA and non-VA students but really charged $22,400 in tuition to VA students and $2,400 to non-VA students.

That helped her gain more veterans assistance benefits, the federal government says.

Last month, a federal judge in Gulfport told Beard and her businesses she owes the government $916,392. That amount is more than triple what she cost the government. But federal law says the U.S. is entitled to triple its loss, plus penalties.

Beard earned approval to join the veterans assistance program in May 2017, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. She made the false claims from July 2017 to November 2019.