Florida man guilty of using twin’s ID for veterans benefits

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man has pleaded guilty to using his twin brother’s stolen identity to obtain tens of thousands of dollars in military veterans benefits. Court records show 64-year-old Wayne Bowen pleaded guilty Wednesday to aggravated identity theft in Jacksonville federal court. He faces a mandatory two years in federal prison and must pay $63,773 in restitution. According to the plea agreement, Bowen used the name, Social Security card and military discharge papers of his estranged twin brother in 2014 to apply for federally subsidized housing benefits intended for indigent military veterans. Prosecutors say Bowen had been using his brother’s identity for years and had been arrested and convicted of felony offenses under his twin’s name.