VA reports records breach

The Department of Veterans Affairs is investigating the "inappropriate removal" from the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital of records that contain personal information about hundreds of veterans who had received treatment there.

"This is an active, open investigation," said Haley spokeswoman Carolyn Clark, who would not say where the records were taken from, who took them, or why.

Someone used the information taken from Haley to open at least one debit card account in the name of one of the hospital's patients, according to Tampa police records.

The security breach was reported to the hospital by the VA's Office of Inspector General, said Clark, who would not say when the records were discovered missing. The VA's Office of Inspector General declined comment, referring questions to the Tampa Police Department.

Veterans whose information was compromised say they are livid.

"This is unacceptable," said Navy veteran John Toborg, who found out about the security breach at Haley last week when he received a letter from the hospital stating his records, which contained his name and Social Security number, were "inappropriately removed" from the hospital.

The Haley security breach was discovered in May by an off-duty Tampa police officer working a detail at the Motel 6 on Fowler Avenue.

Two of the residents — Alexander Lenox and Hantz Saint Marc — were being removed because they were smoking marijuana, according to police.

As police interviewed another occupant, the off-duty officer "observed several papers in plain view containing personal information belonging to different subjects," according to the report.

The papers included Turbo Tax cards, receipts and medical records from the Veterans Affairs hospital.

Lenox and Saint Marc were detained on identity theft charges. Police say they were involved in a wide-ranging scheme in which numerous individuals and small groups in the Tampa Bay area used stolen identities to obtain hundreds of millions of dollars in fraudulent tax refunds.

Lenox, 41, was charged with two counts of fraudulent use of personal information and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana. He was released on $12,000 bond.

Saint Marc, 23, is from Haiti and was being held at a federal detention facility in Moore Haven on a hold by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to Glades County jail records. He was charged with one count of fraudulent use of personal information and is now in a Hillsborough County jail with no bond set.

The report does not say how many VA records were found in the motel room; Tampa police declined comment, citing an ongoing investigation.

Police wanted to know where the supposedly secure VA medical records came from, so they contacted the VA's Office of Inspector General. They were told that office is preparing a federal case against both men because of the medical records found in the motel room, according to a police report.

Last week, Haley director Kathleen R. Fogarty began sending letters to those veterans whose records were compromised.

In the letter sent to Toborg, Fogarty informs him that "I was recently notified by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) that your personal information has been compromised. A consultation form containing your name, full social security and date of birth was reported to have been inappropriately removed" from the hospital.

The letter states that while the VA "has no information at this time to indicate this personal information has been misused, we are notifying you so that you may be vigilant and take appropriate steps to protect yourself against identity theft."

The letter contains information about how to sign up for identity theft protection with Equifax, which Clark said has a contract with the VA.

Toborg, 48, who once went around Michigan as a recruiter trying to convince others to join, said he is incensed that, for the second time in five years, the VA allowed his personal information to be compromised.

"It happened to me in 2006," he said, referring to an incident in which the theft of a computer led to the records of 25 million veterans being compromised.

Ed Weber, an 86-year-old WW II Navy veteran from Haines City, said he is "fed up with the government" after being informed by the Haines City police that his records were found in the motel room.

"The VA never owned up to anything," said Weber. "I heard it from the police. When I found out, I had to change my credit cards."

Russell Pascoe of Port Richey said he is 100 percent disabled as a result of his service as a Marine corporal in Vietnam and relies on Haley for medical treatment.

"I got two Purple Hearts," he said. "I was blown up. Hit with shrapnel after a guy stepped on a mine. My heart is all screwed up by Agent Orange."

Lenox and Saint Marc opened up a bank account in Pascoe's name and deposited more than $9,000 in it, according to police records, but it is unclear if any false tax returns were filed in his name.

Pascoe, 63, said he has a message for those who took his medical records.

"Anyone who steals from vets and senior citizens deserves to go to jail.'"