Army Financial Counselor Charged with Defrauding Gold Star Families

A U.S. Army financial counselor and major in the U.S. Army Reserves has been indicted on charges of defrauding two dozen Gold Star families. The counselor, Caz Craffy, allegedly used his position to target and deceive the families, encouraging them to invest their survivor benefits in accounts he managed privately. He executed unauthorized trades, resulting in losses of over $3.4 million for the families while earning over $1.4 million in commissions. Craffy faces multiple charges, including wire fraud and securities fraud, each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has also filed a civil complaint against him.