Army veteran Gregory Heimann is accused of falsely claiming crippling injuries to his back and legs to collect $245,000 in benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Heimann was captured this month, after fleeing Maine in 2024 as authorities prepared to arrest him. (U.S. Marshals Service)

WASHINGTON — An Army veteran from Maine accused of faking his own death after falsely claiming he was wheelchair bound to collect $245,000 in veterans benefits was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service.

Gregory P. Heimann Jr., 51, was detained at an Amtrak train station in Missouri on charges related to falsely representing service-connected knee and back injuries to the Department of Veterans Affairs to qualify for monthly disability checks and other benefits, according to marshals.

A federal judge in Missouri last week ordered Heimann to be transported back to his home state where he will face criminal charges for “materially making false, fictitious and fraudulent statements” to the VA to receive monthly disability checks and other benefits, according to court documents.

Heimann had dropped out of sight and managed to evade authorities for more than a year, after federal marshals obtained a warrant for his arrest in April 2024, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Maine.

Agents from the VA Office of Inspector General said they had obtained multiple photos and video of Heimann walking and moving without the use of a wheelchair or assistance, according to an affidavit filed in support of his arrest.

But on April 19, 2024, Heimann disappeared after taking a canoe with his belongings to a river near the Canadian border, according to court documents. Heimann could not be found, and authorities at first believed he had drowned.

“More than 15 game wardens, dozens of civilians, aircraft, watercraft, and all-terrain vehicles from the Maine Game Warden Service responded to the call and began a search that lasted several days, all in an attempt to find Heimann or recover his body,” the Marshals Service said.

But further investigation revealed Heimann was not deceased, and his disappearance was ruled suspicious, marshals said. Authorities said Heimann had faked his own drowning to avoid arrest shortly after authorities questioned him, according to court documents.

Heimann had claimed to the VA since 2005 that he suffered serious injuries that stemmed from a 1995 accident while based in Hawaii. He had served in the Army from 1993 to 1997. He then served in the Army National Guard from 1997 to 2005.

Heimann claimed to the VA that he first injured his back and legs in 1995 and reinjured them while on active duty that caused permanent damage.

He said the injuries worsened, caused chronic pain and severely limited his ability to walk after leaving military service. He was collecting $5,000 in monthly disability checks and other forms of VA assistance, according to the affidavit.

But Heimann abruptly disappeared less than a month after agents confronted him with photos showing instances of him walking and engaging in physical activities with no help or visible impairment. Investigators first discovered a Facebook account under Heimann’s name that included photos of him standing without assistance and posting messages about plans to go elk hunting with friends.

They later found surveillance video of Heimann shopping at a hardware store, pushing a full grocery cart at a Walmart and dragging a chicken coop across his yard, according to the affidavit.

But Heimann maintained to his doctors and the VA that his worsening medical condition kept him from holding a job and required the use of a wheelchair. His VA exams with medical staff continued to support his claims of disability and were based on his anecdotal reports and office exams, according to court documents.

In 2006, a clinician documented Heimann “required a wheelchair for ambulation, he could not walk, and he had decreased function of his legs and ankles.” He received multiple diagnoses, including for intervertebral disc syndrome and neuropathy of his legs.

In 2008, Heimann submitted claims for permanent disability and “unemployability.” An exam determined his condition was not expected to improve because of nerve injury. The clinician stated Heimann said he was “paraplegic” because he could no longer support himself with his legs and required assistance with transfers in and out of his wheelchair, according to court documents.

In 2022, the VA issued Heimann a letter stating he was approved for a “home adaptation grant” for installation of equipment to help him remain independent and care for himself. The letter also stated he received approximately $5,000 in monthly disability benefits.

But investigators said they discovered information contrary to findings from his VA-sponsored medical exams. They included police reports from an assault involving Heimann in Washington state in 2019, according to court documents. Surveillance video showed Heimann walking around as he pushed and punched another individual. Still photos from the video were included in court documents.

In 2021, Heimann was issued a citation by a Maine game warden for operating an all-terrain vehicle on a public road. A game warden in 2022 recorded Heimann walking and dragging a chicken coop across the yard at his home. Officials in Princeton, Maine, where Heimann lived, told investigators he regularly walked to the town offices to attend meetings.

Agents in 2023 recorded Heimann arriving at a doctor’s office for a clinical exam to support his disability, according to court documents. He exited his truck without assistance and stood to lift his wheelchair out of the vehicle. He then rolled to the medical office while sitting in the chair.

When he left the exam, he used a wheelchair lift to get inside his truck, according to court documents.

Prior to the 2023 exam, investigators said they reviewed video of Heimann shopping and pushing a cart of goods at a Walmart.

Investigators said they interviewed Heimann at his home in March 2024 before the arrest warrant was issued. After presenting evidence to him, Heimann told investigators his medical condition improved in 2015. But Heimann admitted to authorities that he lied to the VA because he wanted to maintain his lifestyle and continue receiving benefits, according to court documents.

Heimann appeared in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri on Aug. 22 and was scheduled to remain in custody pending his court appearance in Maine, according to the Marshals Service.