'Fake' war hero allegedly posed as wounded Purple Heart recipient while stealing $81K from veterans group

A man has been arrested in the United States accused of posing as a decorated combat veteran and stealing more than $81,000 from a veterans group. Officials revealed he had actually been discharged from the military for bad conduct.

David Agtsteribbe, 58, of Long Island, allegedly claimed to have been awarded a Purple Heart while portraying himself as a wounded war hero. He was arrested two days before Veterans Day, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office announced on Tuesday.

Prosecutors said Agtsteribbe was discharged as a private in 1988 after serving roughly one year in the military. He was court-martialed and pleaded guilty to stealing money from another soldier in 1987.

He later allegedly altered his discharge documents to portray himself with an honorable military record. The altered records also included an elevated retirement status, which may have helped him obtain free health care and other privileges, prosecutors said.

The forged credentials helped him secure a position as a finance officer at a local veterans' organization. He joined the Hampton Bays American Legion, an organization that supports military veterans and service members, in 2021 after allegedly falsifying his discharge papers to qualify for membership.

Starting in 2022, Agtsteribbe allegedly transferred money from the organization's accounts into his personal checking account to cover personal expenses, including Amazon purchases, bills, a private business membership program, streaming services, travel, leisure activities, clothing and accessories. The total amount allegedly stolen was $81,798.31, prosecutors said.

District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said: "There is something particularly despicable about fabricating a military record and claiming honors you have never earned." He said the defendant allegedly portrayed himself as a war hero, infiltrated an organization for those who actually served, and betrayed their trust by stealing their money.

Prosecutors also revealed that Agtsteribbe had allegedly been applying for and obtaining memberships in other veterans organizations dating back to 2019, including the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

In 2023 and 2024, Agtsteribbe allegedly submitted falsified discharge papers to the Town of Southampton in an attempt to avoid a $50 resident permit fee and obtain a handicap parking permit. In some documents, he also allegedly claimed to be a retired lieutenant colonel, despite having been discharged as a private.

He has been charged with grand larceny in the second degree, criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, two counts of offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree and three counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. If convicted on the top count, he faces 25 years to life in prison as a persistent felony offender.

Prosecutors requested substantial bail, citing his criminal history and the current charges, including $100,000 cash, a $200,000 secured bond or a $1 million partially secured surety bond. He is due back in court on Nov. 13, 2026.