View Full Version : William G. Hillar Special Forces FRAUD
Team Sergeant just called and he has completed his testimony on behalf of the US Attorneys office in the case of Bill Hillar.
Reason of call was to announce and confirm that Bill Hillar has been sentenced to 21 months in prison.
What goes around comes around. Thanks for the heads up, Sir.
Any chance that "we" could get a posting of his "duties" in Maryland for those SF guys who may want to go supervise....As a Retired CSM, I am fully qualified to supervise and I for one would love to see his work ethic while caring for a deceased veterans..... Just a thought, CSM-H
Kinda surprised he got that much time must because of the egg on some feds faces for not doing a very good background check
Team Sergeant just called and he has completed his testimony on behalf of the US Attorneys office in the case of Bill Hillar.
Reason of call was to announce and confirm that Bill Hillar has been sentenced to 21 months in prison.
And so it goes...
Richard :munchin
How A Special Ops Impersonator Duped The FBI For A Decade
CSM, 30 Aug 2011
A Maryland man was sentenced on Tuesday to 21 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $171,000 in restitution after admitting that he had fraudulently posed for 12 years as a US Army special forces veteran and terrorism expert.
William Hillar used false claims about his background and academic credentials to win teaching and training contracts from 1998 to 2010.
Among the organizations he duped: the Federal Bureau of Investigation Command College, which paid him $17,369 from 2000 to 2010, according to court documents.
Mr. Hillar claimed to be a retired US Army colonel who served in the special forces from 1962 to 1990. His website said he’d been stationed in Asia, the Middle East, and Central and South America.
The website listed his specialized skills as “tactical counter-terrorism, explosive ordnance, emergency medicine, and psychological warfare.” Hillar also advertised that he had earned a PhD from the University of Oregon.
None of it was true.
“William G. Hillar claimed that he had earned praise as a hero, but the truth is that he deserves condemnation as a liar,” said US Attorney Rod Rosenstein in a statement after the sentencing in federal court in Baltimore. “He did not serve in the US Army, did not receive military training in counter-terrorism and psychological warfare, and did not lose his daughter to sex traffickers.”
One of Hillar’s most outrageous claims was that his own daughter had been kidnapped, forced into sexual slavery, sodomized, and tortured before being hacked to death with machetes and thrown into the sea. Hillar, of Millersville, Md., claimed that his daughter’s brutal murder was the basis of the 2008 movie “Taken.”
In his plea agreement, Hillar admitted that his claims were false, including about his daughter, who officials say is alive and well.
Hillar, 66, served from 1962 to 1970 in the US Coast Guard. He left the service as a radarman, petty officer 3rd class.
Hillar’s scam was uncovered by members of the special forces community. An FBI investigation resulted in Hillar’s arrest in January.
Court documents identify the institutions he defrauded and list the amounts he allegedly was paid for lectures or workshops.
They include: University of Oregon, $33,025; Monterey Institute of International Studies, $32,500; Federal Executive Board of Los Angeles, $27,140; Montana Sheriff and Peace Officers Association, $9,500; Utah Valley State College, $8,430; California Firefighters Association, $6,208; State Training and Audi Resource Seminar (STARS) 2007 conference, $4,000; US Army, $3,625; Drug Enforcement Administration, $2,400; FBI Salt Lake City Division, $1,010; and the FBI Chicago Division, $1,000.
In addition to requiring repayment of the fraudulently obtained fees, US District Judge William Quarles ordered Hillar to conduct 500 hours of community service with the Maryland State Veterans Cemetaries.
Hillar’s activities were also scrutinized by members of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, in addition to the FBI.
“The service members that comprise the Department of Defense’s elite special warfare units have undergone years of specialized training and sacrifice to be called special forces,” said Robert Craig, chief of the DCIS’s mid-Atlantic field office. “To misuse their titles for personal gain is unconscionable and discredits those that served, and continue to serve, the United States of America.”
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2011/0830/How-a-Special-Ops-impersonator-duped-the-FBI-for-a-decade?cmpid=tweet_count
Roguish Lawyer
08-30-2011, 23:08
It really is a bad idea to piss off the Team Sergeant. Or anyone else in the SF community. :D
B36reconman
08-31-2011, 05:55
Well done TS..
Finally in the news..
A Maryland man who claimed for years to be a Green Beret was sentenced to nearly two years in federal prison Tuesday for lying about his military service to obtain numerous contracts with public and private agencies.
William G. Hillar, 66, of Millersville, Md., was sentenced to one year and nine months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, according to court documents. He pleaded guilty to wire fraud as part of a plea agreement.
IMO they need to do away with this plea BS...for everything
http://www.fayobserver.com/articles/2011/08/31/1119254?sac=Home
Sacamuelas
08-31-2011, 07:12
I read about it on my iphone yesterday when checking the mobile Foxnews website. The story was one of the five articles per section that the website listed as top news in the USA!!! :lifter
Great Job Jeff!!!!!
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/08/30/army-green-beret-impersonator-in-maryland-gets-21-months-in-prison/
Team Sergeant
08-31-2011, 09:55
I'm glad this Special Forces fraud is receiving the media exposure he deserves. There is no law currently on the books for pretending to be a Green Beret or Navy SEAL. The more attention this issue receives the more it sends the message:
"Special Forces / Green Beret Frauds beware, we are watching."
I was asked a few times why "we" (Professionalsoldiers.com) does this, it's simple, because we can and will as most civilians are a bit intimidated to ask for the credentials of a "Green Beret". These frauds don't get caught until they come in contact with a "real" Special Forces soldier.
And for the record, I looked over at William G. Hillar a couple of times during the sentencing hearing, while I was giving testimony and when Hillar left. When it was over Hillar and his attorney were the first out the door and as Hillar walked right past me he stared at the ground. He never made eye contact, once.
Also, people are thanking me and the Special Forces soldiers of Professionalsoldiers.com, remember, we just exposed Hillar as a fraud.
The people to thank in this case are the FBI & DCIS agents and Assistant United States Attorney Leo Wise, who prosecuted the case. I will speak on behalf of all Special Forces when I say "thank you" to the men and women of the DOJ and FBI who brought William G Hillar to Justice.
De Oppresso Liber,
Jeff Hinton
Master Sergeant
Special Forces (ret)
Team Sergeant
08-31-2011, 09:58
Millersville Man Sentenced for Posing as a Retired Army Special Forces Colonel
Lied for 12 Years About Special Forces and Terrorism Experience to Gain Teaching Employment; Also Fabricated a Story of His Daughter’s Kidnapping and Murder by Sex Traffickers
U.S. Attorney’s Office
August 30, 2011 District of Maryland
(410) 209-4800
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. sentenced William G. Hillar, age 66, of Millersville, Maryland, today to 21 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for wire fraud in connection with a scheme to lie about his military experience and academic credentials in order to gain employment for teaching and training. Judge Quarles also ordered Hillar to pay restitution of $171,415 and perform 500 community hours at the Maryland State Veterans Cemeteries.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Special Agent in Charge Robert Craig of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service - Mid-Atlantic Field Office.
“William G. Hillar claimed that he had earned praise as a hero, but the truth is that he deserves condemnation as a liar,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “He did not serve in the U.S. Army, did not receive military training in counter-terrorism and psychological warfare, and did not lose his daughter to sex traffickers.”
“Mr. Hillar’s fraudulent representations came to the FBI’s attention from concerned citizens, including former members of the Special Forces community. This investigation is an example of the difficulty the public faces trying to verify the accuracy of information on the Internet,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely.
“The Defense Criminal Investigative Service is committed to supporting America’s warfighters and protecting the interest of the American taxpayers,” said Robert Craig, Special Agent in Charge for the DCIS Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “The service members that comprise the Department of Defense’s elite special warfare units have undergone years of specialized training and sacrifice to be called Special Forces. To misuse their titles for personal gain is unconscionable and discredits those that served and continue to serve the United States of America.”
According to Hillar’s plea agreement, from around 1998 to 2010, private and public sector organizations paid Hillar at least $171,415 for teaching, leading workshops, giving speeches and conducting training on counter terrorism, drugs trafficking, human trafficking and related topics. Hillar conducted these activities through a business named “Bill Hillar Training.” According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, most of Hillar’s victims were military, law enforcement or first responder organizations.
In order to secure employment with these organizations, Hillar falsely represented in resumes, biographical statements and on the Internet that: “William G. Hillar is a retired Colonel of the U.S. Army Special Forces. He has served in Asia, the Middle East, and Central and South America, where his diverse training and experiences included tactical counter-terrorism, explosive ordnance, emergency medicine and psychological warfare.” Hillar also represented that he received a Ph.D. from the University of Oregon.
Hillar never served in the U.S. Army or the Special Forces and never attained the rank of Colonel. Hillar never served in Asia, the Middle East and Central and South America, and did not acquire in those locales training and experiences in counter-terrorism, explosive ordnance, emergency medicine and psychological warfare. Hillar did serve in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve as an enlisted sailor from 1962 to 1970, achieving the rate of Radarman, Petty Officer Third Class. According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, the organizations that Hillar purported to train exercise critical public safety and national security functions, and require ongoing training and education in order to respond to new and changing threats. Hillar, who was not qualified, displaced qualified teachers and trainers, thereby putting members of our military, law enforcement and first responders at risk.
Moreover, the government’s sentencing memorandum states that Hillar fabricated a gruesome tale that his own daughter had been kidnaped, forced into sex slavery, sodomized and tortured before being hacked to death with machetes and thrown into the sea. He further claimed that this experience and his life story was the basis for the 2008 film “Taken”. The significant press attention that film generated, in turn, generated free press for Hillar. Hillar admits that he fabricated the story about his daughter, who was alive and well.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service for their work in the investigation, and thanked Assistant United States Attorney Leo Wise, who prosecuted the case.
http://www.fbi.gov/baltimore/press-releases/2011/millersville-man-sentenced-for-posing-as-a-retired-army-special-forces-colonel
greenberetTFS
08-31-2011, 10:15
Great job TS..............:lifter:lifter:lifter
Big Teddy :munchin
Great job TS! His shame finally caught up with him.
Team Sergeant
09-01-2011, 08:34
Great job TS! His shame finally caught up with him.
Maybe, maybe not. Can one have or feel "shame" if one does not possess integrity or honor?
One thing is for sure, none of these Special Forces Frauds are "sorry" until they are caught.
MIIS lecturer gets prison for lying about military service, daughter's abduction
By LARRY PARSONS
Herald Staff Writer
Posted: 08/31/2011 01:27:37 AM PDT
Updated: 08/31/2011 08:29:54 AM PDT
As a lecturer, William G. Hillar wove astonishing tales of derring-do during a larger-than-life career as a U.S. special forces commando and a dashing father who vainly tried to save his daughter from murderous Asian sex traffickers.
For a dozen years, Hillar transformed a résumé right out of thriller novels into teaching and lecturing jobs at schools and in training sessions for military, police and other emergency responder groups.
Hillar, 66, of Millersville, Md., who lectured from 2005 to 2010 at the Monterey Institute of International Studies on human trafficking and counterterrorism, made it all up, federal prosecutors said.
On Tuesday, Hillar was sentenced to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty in March to a single count of wire fraud for his lengthy charade as a retired military officer.
Federal prosecutors in Baltimore asked U.S. District Court Judge William D. Quarles to put Hillar in prison for a lengthy term because of what one investigator called his "unconscionable" use of a false military identity for personal gain.
Hillar's bogus background came to light last fall when students at MIIS — military veterans themselves — and members of the special forces community began to ask questions about his tales and dug into his background.
"William G. Hillar claimed that he had earned praise as a hero, but the truth is that he deserves condemnation as a liar," Baltimore U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said in a statement.
Under Hillar's plea agreement, he agreed to pay $171,415 in restitution. That was the amount he earned from police agencies, first responder groups and schools for the lectures and speeches he made while posing as a retired Army Special Forces colonel. He also agreed to put in 500 hours of community service work at Maryland veterans cemeteries.
But prosecutors wanted Hillar to go to prison, too. Under federal sentencing rules, he faced a possible prison term of 21 to 27 months.
In a sentencing memo, Assistant U.S. Attorney Leo Wise argued for more than two years in prison, saying Hillar profited from the lie that he was a retired Army Special Forces officer at the same time "members of the Special Forces have died in record numbers in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq."
Along with posing as an expert on counterterrorism, the federal prosecutor said, Hillar fabricated "a gruesome tale that his own daughter had been kidnapped and forced into sex slavery."
Hillar told audiences his daughter was kidnapped from a train between Bangkok and Singapore in 1988 and sold into the sex trade. He recounted a six-month, harrowing search he purportedly made through Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong, the Philippines and, finally, Borneo, only to learn his daughter was raped, tortured and hacked to death after she managed to escape from a sex trafficker's warehouse.
"It is hard to imagine trying to trade on the sacrifices our armed forces have made. It's even harder to imagine profiting off a fabricated tale of your own daughter's abduction and murder by sex traffickers," the prosecutor said in his memo.
Hillar claimed the 2008 film "Taken" with Liam Neeson was based on his search across Asia for his daughter.
The schools, students and groups duped by Hillar's false credentials weren't the only victims, Wise said. Hillar's real daughter is alive and well in Oregon, and "she also is a victim," he said.
The prosecutor said Hillar went so far as to allow MIIS to hold a 2009 essay contest against human trafficking in his daughter's honor.
Hillar's actual educational background included a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in special education. He spent eight years in the Coast Guard, achieving the rank of radarman, petty officer third class, the prosecutor said.
His phony credentials weren't just a ticket to jobs, but often the subject of his lectures to spellbound audiences at MIIS and other venues, the prosecutor said.
As a result, the institutions that paid him "deemed his courses worthless and are asking for full restitution," Wise said.
The prosecutor quoted from students' comments about Hillar's deceptions. One student who took a 2007 class on counterterrorism from Hillar at MIIS said he was a "mesmerizing speaker" who claimed to have participated in questioning Guantanamo detainees — "obviously another lie."
"The damage to some of the kids who adored him and bought every word he said, however, is done," the student said.
Hillar's federal public defender didn't respond to an email message.
There you go, Jeff. Good job.;)
Team Sergeant
09-01-2011, 14:31
LARRY PARSONS writes for the Monterey County Herald too bad Larry has yet to get this story right.
For the last time Larry, the MIIS students had nothing to do with exposing William G Hillar. They only jumped on that bandwagon "AFTER" Hillar was exposed here on Professionalsoldiers.com
You must still be mad at me. I see you failed to include my name or Professionalsoldiers.com in your article. That's ok Larry Parsons, the "big" news media got the story right.
You need not believe me Larry Parsons, or anyone else that reads the Monterey County Herald, I'm sure Larry Parsons has the "Facts" proving that before Professionalsoldiers.com exposed Hillar that the MIIS students were already investigating the fake Special Forces Professor.
Show me the "facts" Larry that the MIIS students were involved before 28 Oct 2010.
(By the way Larry I have all the students emails, all dated after 28 Oct 2010, I also have emails from Special Forces Command dated 2009 concerning Hillar, facts Larry, facts.)
Reporters deal in facts right Larry Parsons? Show us the facts Larry.
I'm waiting.
Jeff Hinton
MIIS lecturer gets prison for lying about military service, daughter's abduction
By LARRY PARSONS
Herald Staff Writer
Posted: 08/31/2011 01:27:37 AM PDT
Updated: 08/31/2011 08:29:54 AM PDT
As a lecturer, William G. Hillar wove astonishing tales of derring-do during a larger-than-life career as a U.S. special forces commando and a dashing father who vainly tried to save his daughter from murderous Asian sex traffickers.
For a dozen years, Hillar transformed a résumé right out of thriller novels into teaching and lecturing jobs at schools and in training sessions for military, police and other emergency responder groups.
Hillar, 66, of Millersville, Md., who lectured from 2005 to 2010 at the Monterey Institute of International Studies on human trafficking and counterterrorism, made it all up, federal prosecutors said.
On Tuesday, Hillar was sentenced to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty in March to a single count of wire fraud for his lengthy charade as a retired military officer.
Federal prosecutors in Baltimore asked U.S. District Court Judge William D. Quarles to put Hillar in prison for a lengthy term because of what one investigator called his "unconscionable" use of a false military identity for personal gain.
Hillar's bogus background came to light last fall when students at MIIS — military veterans themselves — and members of the special forces community began to ask questions about his tales and dug into his background.
http://www.montereyherald.com/local/ci_18794459
Team Sergeant
09-02-2011, 10:22
Reporters who got the story right..... then again unlike larry parsons of the Monterey County Herald, these reporters actually talked to me.
Man who profited from fabricated military career gets 21-month sentence
By Ruben Castaneda, Published: August 30
William G. Hillar billed himself as a hero and a patriot, a 28-year veteran of the Army Special *Forces who shared his knowledge of counterterrorism by holding training sessions for federal agents and local police.
The 66-year-old Millersville man told people that he was an expert in human trafficking and drug trafficking. He said that his daughter had been kidnapped, forced into sex slavery and killed by her captors before he could rescue her. He said the movie “Taken,” starring Liam Neeson, was based on that experience.
It was all a lie.
“He was a con artist,” said Rod J. Rosenstein, the U.S. attorney for Maryland.
On Tuesday, a federal judge in Baltimore sentenced Hillar to 21 months in prison for crimes connected to his fabrication. Prosecutors say Hillar was paid at least $171,415 over more than a decade, beginning in 1998, for speeches and training on counterterrorism, drug trafficking and human trafficking. The FBI, local police and universities hired him for his supposed expertise.
Moments after his sentence was handed down, Hillar grimly walked within a few feet of two genuine warriors sitting near the front of the courtroom. He looked straight ahead, avoiding eye contact as he stepped past the men.
One of them, Jeff Hinton, who had served as a Green Beret, said Hillar’s training was worthless and put law enforcement officers at risk.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/man-who-profited-from-fabricated-military-resume-is-sentenced-to-21-months/2011/08/30/gIQAnKHfqJ_story.html
Team Sergeant
09-02-2011, 10:25
Reporters who got the story right.....
Special Forces impersonator in Md. gets 21 months
Originally published: August 30, 2011 4:04 PM
Updated: August 30, 2011 7:33 PM
By The Associated Press SARAH BRUMFIELD (Associated Press)
BALTIMORE - (AP) -- For years, William Hillar's tales about his exploits as an Army Green Beret and a puffed up resume helped him land jobs teaching counterterrorism and drug and human trafficking interdiction, but the scheme has now earned him 21 months in federal prison.
Hillar, 66, of Millersville, pleaded guilty to wire fraud earlier this year and was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court. He must pay $170,000 in restitution to the law enforcement and first responder organizations and schools that hired him believing that he had spent 28 years in the U.S. Special Forces, reaching the rank of colonel. He must also perform 500 community service hours at Maryland's veteran cemeteries.
His scheme started to unravel when a skeptical veteran emailed members of the Special Forces community to see if anyone knew of Hillar, former Green Beret Jeff Hinton testified Tuesday. Hillar's story was suspicious because there were only a handful of colonels during the period Hillar claimed to have served, he said.
Hinton, whose "Professional Soldiers" social networking site for Special Forces members has become a clearinghouse for people checking on possible fraudsters, filed Freedom of Information requests. When he learned that U.S. Special Operations Command had not heard of Hillar, he decided to expose him and warn the organizations that had hired him, he said.
"The training he was giving them would most likely put people at risk," he said. "Basically it's worthless."
While Green Beret impostors are not uncommon, Hinton called Hillar the most prodigious fraud he has come across, noting that this case is the first he has seen result in jail time. Hillar's trading on a reputation that's "forged in blood" is reprehensible, dishonorable and disrespectful to those who have served and died, he said.
http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/special-forces-impersonator-in-md-gets-21-months-1.3132810
Team Sergeant
09-03-2011, 18:17
Special Forces & Green Beret fakes, frauds, liars, imposters, phonies etc
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Special Forces" and "Green Beret" Corporate, Government, police, SWAT, security contractors, expert defense witnesses, martial arts & shooting instructors, actors, impostors, phonies, liars, frauds, fakes, etc we are on to you.
On any given day we are working on exposing you and when we do we will make the information public along with the corporation, corporate security company, police force, defense attorney, contractor etc that hired you.
ProfessionalSoldiers.com has been contacted by a number of corporate & government individuals, employers and employee's etc requesting confirmation of an individuals "Special Forces" or "Green Beret" status. While your lies and deceit may fool some it will not fool us, the real Quiet Professionals.
Beware you Special Forces fakes, liars, frauds, as ProfessionalSoldiers.com grows your days as a fraud are numbered, will expose you and turn over the information to the proper authorities.
If you know of someone that has a questionable "Special Forces" or "Green Beret" background or might be a phony feel free to contact us:
DeadDrop@ProfessionalSoldiers "dot" com
(This does not apply to "boyfriends" or the moron at the bar that says he was a former "Green Beret".).
You have been warned.
For those reading this post feel free to copy and paste it all over the internet.
Frauds beware, we are watching.
Team Sergeant
Team Sergeant
06-20-2013, 13:21
I was doing some internet searching and guess what I found.....WILLIAM G HILLAR has been released. Must have been released early I figured him to be released in May.
1. WILLIAM G HILLAR 52970-037 68-White-M 03-25-2013 RELEASED
http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/InmateFinderServlet?Transaction=NameSearch&needingMoreList=false&FirstName=william&Middle=&LastName=hillar&Race=U&Sex=U&Age=&x=84&y=11
The Reaper
06-20-2013, 17:47
William Hillar is probably teaching CT classes again by now.
TR
Team Sergeant
08-05-2013, 15:08
Guess who's back online.........:munchin
http://www.billhillartraining.com/
mark46th
08-05-2013, 19:20
I notice there is no bio.... But if there was it would read something like this-
1962-70 US Coast Guard
1970-2011 Bullsxxt artist, liar and fraud
2011-2013- I wore lipstick and earrings for Bubba while I washed his socks in prison...
It seems to be gone again.
Team Sergeant
08-12-2013, 11:24
It's back online.......
Billhillar Safety Training
Safety Training Help Reduce Accidents
http://www.billhillartraining.com/
longrange1947
08-12-2013, 11:58
I'm not sure what that site is as the contact info is for some guy in Maine by the name of Lionel Mitchell. The photo is definitely not that of Bill Hillar unless his time in prison radically changed him. Seems to be a blog testing the waters. :munchin
The Reaper
08-12-2013, 12:29
I'm not sure what that site is as the contact info is for some guy in Maine by the name of Lionel Mitchell. The photo is definitely not that of Bill Hillar unless his time in prison radically changed him. Seems to be a blog testing the waters. :munchin
I noticed the same thing.
And the pics are from Europe while the POC is in Maine.
Maybe someone is parking the site for him.
I see no real classes offered or any serious details that would cause someone to sign up.
TR
Looks like a shell game.
google: lionel mitchell 5788 colonial run silvernails, maine
www.bigsing2012.com
www.presentationfolderprintingonline.com
chiropracticplanofamerica.org
www.livecamslove.com
longrange1947
08-12-2013, 14:51
JJ, all those websites are very similar in layout and form. Very possible that it is a shell that is being held for the one and only. :munchin
I don't remember hillar straying from his modus-operandi: "My Daughter was murdered, international child slavery abductions, woo is me,, can we meet at my apartment??..
Safety training?? Although, he could have picked up a mail-order degree,, while practicing as the head shower boy in the pen?? I mean firemen do need help pulling their hoses??? :D
It's back online.......
Billhillar Safety Training
Safety Training Help Reduce Accidents
http://www.billhillartraining.com/
It is down again......
longrange1947
08-12-2013, 18:54
It's up when I just checked.
I can get to it now.....:munchin