Man gets 5 months for lying about war

Man gets 5 months for lying about war, Seattle Times, Sept. 22, 2007:

A Tacoma man who falsely claimed he was a decorated war hero and even appeared in a video that protested the U.S. role in Iraq was sentenced Friday to five months in a federal prison for making false statements to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The case was in the Western District of Washington, Judge Lasnik.

I was curious about the statute making it a crime to like to the VA. See 18 USC § 289:

Sec. 289. False claims for pensions

Whoever knowingly and willfully makes, or presents any false, fictitious or fraudulent affidavit, declaration, certificate, voucher, endorsement, or paper or writing purporting to be such, concerning any claim for pension or payment thereof, or pertaining to any other matter within the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, * * *
Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

Back in my TV-besotted youth, there was a margarine commercial with the tagline "It's not nice to fool Mother Nature." There are likewise penalties for fooling Uncle Sam.