Sophia Quill, a 63-year-old from Westland, has been sentenced to prison for defrauding the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Michigan Department of Treasury. The sentence ranges from 78 months to 20 years. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the verdict. Quill was convicted for stealing nearly $500,000 from these agencies.
In January, Quill pled no contest to one count of Conducting a Criminal Enterprise and eight counts of False Pretenses. She agreed to pay $470,000 in restitution. Her sentencing occurred in the 3rd Circuit Court in Wayne County, with Judge Anne McCarthy presiding. Quill also received eight concurrent sentences for the False Pretenses convictions, each between 19 months and 15 years.
The investigation was a joint effort with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General. The fraud occurred between 2013 and 2019. Quill and co-defendant Melissa Flores used aliases and fake documents to pose as heirs to deceased U.S. veterans and claim unclaimed property. They stole over $430,000 from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and over $40,000 from the Michigan Department of Treasury.