OKLAHOMA CITY — A former commander of the Duncan Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1192 pleaded guilty Monday to a federal charge of wire fraud.
Michael Bruce Colley, 65, of Marlow, entered his plea in the U.S. Western District Court and admitted to between January 2019 and June 2021 defrauding the post out of more than $40,000, according to U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
The federal charge was filed Sept. 19, 2023. The VFW is a non-profit veterans service organization comprised of eligible veterans and active military service members and is dedicated to veterans service, legislative advocacy and military and community service programs.
Colley, who served as commander for the post, controlled its finances and made over 30 unauthorized withdrawals from VFW accounts that were used to pay his own personal expenses, according to the filing information. The role of commander as finance controller is not a traditional role. Many of these fraudulent withdrawals occurred at Oklahoma casinos, Troester stated.
As part of the scheme, Colley requested and received debit cards for the post’s bank accounts and made withdrawals via automated teller machines, according to the information. Investigators said he used the cash withdrawals for personal purposes, including paying his mortgage. A $500 withdrawal from the post’s general fund caused the transmission of an interstate wire communication to a server located outside Oklahoma which gave the federal court jurisdiction in this case that was investigated by the FBI Oklahoma City field office and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
Colley faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Records indicate he is not in custody pending his sentencing.
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