United States v. Leon R. Jackson

I

Leon Jackson appeals his conviction, following a jury trial, of making false claims against the United States in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 287 . Jackson was indicted on nine counts of knowingly presenting false claims for the proceeds of government checks. The indictment alleged that Jackson knew that he had already received nine Veterans Administration (VA) educational benefits checks when he submitted claims denying receipt of the checks.

Jackson allegedly had received the checks during the 1979-1980 school year. In 1980, the VA discovered that Jackson had withdrawn from school, and therefore had been ineligible to receive the checks during the 1979-1980 school year. Jackson was notified that his benefits had been terminated because of his voluntary withdrawal from school.

In June 1982, Jackson submitted claim forms to the VA asking that the checks be reissued to him, claiming that he had never received them. In 1983, the Treasury Department sent to Jackson a second set of claim forms for the checks, and enclosed microfilm copies of the checks showing that they had been endorsed and deposited. Jackson completed these claim forms, stating he had never received, endorsed,…