HOUSTON – Documents recently filed in Houston federal court reveal a sprawling investigation involving as many as 17 recruiters with the US Army National Guard.
According to the charges, the recruiters are accused of bribery and wire fraud in relation to bonuses received under a government incentive program.
Recommended Videos
Court documents read recruiters were entitled to monetary bonuses under the Guard Recruiting Assistance Program. Federal prosecutors write the program offered soldiers between $1,000 and $2,000 in "referral bonuses...to recruit other individuals to serve in the U.S. Army National Guard."
Court documents read the recruiters involved in this case "received, and caused to be received a total of at least approximately $200,000 in fraudulent recruiting referral bonus payments." Federal prosecutors also wrote the recruiters "falsely claimed that they were responsible for referring certain potential soldiers to join the Texas Army National Guard, when in fact they did not refer these potential soldiers."
It is unclear from court documents whether any recruiters have been arrested. However, court documents mention that several of the recruiters worked for the Texas Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Command in Houston. Officials with the Texas Army National Guard office in Austin declined to comment on the charges, citing an "on-going investigation."