Sharon Hartz, the mother of Army Sergeant Thomas F. Anastasio, who passed away due to a heart condition while on active duty, was left devastated by his sudden death. However, she was surprised to learn that she would receive a half a million dollars in death benefits and life insurance. The Army casualty assistance officer informed her that she needed to meet with an Army financial counselor before receiving the funds. The counselor turned out to be a con man named Caz Craffy, who pleaded guilty to defrauding Hartz and other Gold Star families out of millions of dollars.
Craffy, who was only supposed to provide generic financial guidance to families, also worked as an investment manager and handled their investments, violating Army rules. He convinced families to give him their money and charged exorbitant commissions while making unwise investments that resulted in significant losses. Victims like Natasha Cruz-Bevard, whose husband Staff Sergeant Rodney Bevard died by suicide, lost hundreds of thousands of dollars due to Craffy’s actions. Families were misled into thinking he was their friend and relied on him for guidance, only to discover the extent of his deception later on.
Craffy specifically targeted families who were not well-versed in financial matters and manipulated them into trusting him with their funds. He assured them that any losses or high commissions would be offset by future gains and urged them not to scrutinize their statements. Despite facing foreclosure on his $2.1 million home and a potential 10-year prison sentence, many victims feel that the Army should also be held accountable for allowing Craffy to exploit vulnerable families. Attorney General Merrick Garland has emphasized that those who prey on the families of fallen service members will face consequences for their crimes.
Natalie Khawam is representing Hartz, Cruz-Bevard, and other victims in pursuing answers from the Army about how Craffy was able to circumvent regulations for so long without detection. They are considering legal action against the Army for its role in steering families towards Craffy. Despite the Army’s assertion that this was an isolated incident and its commitment to supporting fallen soldiers’ families, victims like Hartz feel betrayed and let down by the organization that they trusted to look after them in times of need. Cruz-Bevard criticized the lack of accountability from the Army and called for greater oversight to prevent similar financial abuses in the future.
The Army maintains that it conducted a thorough investigation into Craffy’s actions and considers this to be an isolated incident. However, families impacted by his fraudulent scheme believe that the Army should have done more to protect them and question how he was able to take advantage of them so easily. Hartz expressed her disillusionment with the military, as she had assumed that a trusted Army employee like Craffy could be relied upon to manage her financial affairs. The victims are seeking justice and accountability for the harm caused by Craffy’s actions and are determined to hold both him and the Army responsible for their losses.
