FLORIDA — A Florida fuel supplier has been indicted for allegedly defrauding the U.S. Department of Defense and multiple U.S. Navy ships out of more than $5 million through a global fuel procurement scam, federal officials announced.
Niceville.com Community Partner
Jasen Butler, 37, of Jupiter, is accused of submitting falsified invoices and forged records to collect payments through the SEA Card Program, which allows U.S. military vessels to purchase fuel in foreign ports. Prosecutors say the fraudulent charges were made between August 2022 and January 2024 and involved international locations such as Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Croatia.
According to the indictment filed in the Southern District of Florida, Mr Butler used altered documents to bill the U.S. Navy — including the USS Patriot — for fuel purchases that never occurred. The Justice Department says he concealed his identity by using a false name and pretending to represent a fictitious company division.
Prosecutors allege Butler used the stolen funds to enrich himself and purchase multiple properties in Florida and Colorado.
“This indictment sends a clear, public message,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail A. Slater.
“We will not rest until all who defraud the brave men and women of the U.S. military and the American taxpayers receive swift justice.”
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne called the case a threat to military readiness and vowed aggressive prosecution of fraud impacting national defense.
The case was investigated by the Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. If convicted, Mr Butler faces up to 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count and up to 10 years each for forgery and money laundering.
Assistant Chief Sara Clingan and Trial Attorney Jonathan Pomeranz of the DOJ’s Antitrust Division are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department reminds the public that an indictment is an allegation and that Mr Butler is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
