Team Sergeant
02-11-2014, 11:04
The folks at "This Ain't Hell" (http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=39745) sent me this one today..... I think Greg Banks of Gregory Banks Counseling LLC, in Danbury, CT requires a bit more attention.
Greg Banks, Special Forces Liar and Fraud
Man accused of posing as decorated special forces soldier
Posted: Feb 10, 2014 11:11 AM
Updated: Feb 11, 2014 5:24 AM
By Eric Parker - email
By Joseph Wenzel IV, News Editor - email
DANBURY, CT (WFSB) -
A man has claimed to be a major for the special forces in the United States Army and received awards for his service.
However, an investigation by Eyewitness News shows that no records of the man's military service, so the I-team went to look for answers.
"He said he was a special forces major and was stopping through. He was back from deployment for a couple weeks, problem solving overseas," said a man, who asked Eyewitness News to conceal his identity because the accusations he's making are explosive, and he worries for his safety.
According to this man, another man, by the name of Greg Banks, was coming to the Mason's Hall in Danbury every few weeks. Banks would eventually show up one day in his dress blues with some awfully impressive medals.
"He walks in bronze star, purple heart, dress blues," the man told Eyewitness News.
The man added that he thought "something was not right."
"He gets all these awards all the sudden, he has a purple heart after being away for a couple weeks," the man said. "What happened?"
The tipster told Eyewitness News that he started checking into Banks. He looked at official records, searched online, and talked to friends who actually are special forces. There was no record of the man, who identified himself to the Mason's as Brother Greg Banks.
There were other red flags, according to Eyewitness News' source.
"He was wearing the wrong color beret. He was wearing it incorrectly," the man said. "He had awards on his chest that didn't make any sense."
Convinced Banks wasn't in the military at all, he reached out through an associate to the I-Team and the station started digging. Eyewitness News' request to The Pentagon for any military records for Gregory C. Banks came up empty. There's no record of a soldier by that name.
Then, just like the tipster, Eyewitness News quickly found a totally separate set of records for a Greg Banks. A man by the same name is licensed in Connecticut as a professional counselor. An online listing of therapists shows his picture and said he works with children and adults. He also has special training in helping clients deal with traumatic experiences.
"That's the name he used when he was wearing the uniform, 100 percent," the man said.
The tipster went onto say that the man, who was visiting the Mason's Hall, looked "absolutely" like the man in the pictures of the counselor Gregory Banks.
"I'd swear under oath that this was the same guy," the man said.
The I-Team went looking for answers. At the Danbury office for Gregory Banks Counseling LLC, no one was there. Eyewitness News slipped a note under the locked door.
Then I-Team went to the Brookfield home listed as the residence address for that business. No one was home.
Finally, I-Team stopped at the Farmington address listed on bank's website. He wasn't there, either. However, when shown the picture of Banks, people nearby said "he's very definitely in the military," but could not tell the station what he did.
The I-Team also sent emails to Banks, left him multiple voice messages, and even called the lawyer he used in his 2012 divorce. No one called back.
A review of the public records from that divorce show no mention of Banks being in the military. He told the masons, and even accepted awards for his service, but apparently didn't mention his work with the special forces to his spouse.
The man, who brought this claim to the I-team said he just wants Banks to "stop it."
"You're dishonoring every single person who took a bullet for this country and it's got to stop," the man added.
The tipster and some of the people he contacted reached out to the state Department of Health, they've asked them to launch an investigation. The I-Team investigation is continuing too.
If you know anything more about Greg Banks, the I-team would like to hear from you. Just fill out the form, by clicking here.
Copyright 2014 WFSB (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
http://www.wfsb.com/story/24682584/man-accused-of-posing-as-decorated-special-forces-solider
Greg Banks, Special Forces Liar and Fraud
Man accused of posing as decorated special forces soldier
Posted: Feb 10, 2014 11:11 AM
Updated: Feb 11, 2014 5:24 AM
By Eric Parker - email
By Joseph Wenzel IV, News Editor - email
DANBURY, CT (WFSB) -
A man has claimed to be a major for the special forces in the United States Army and received awards for his service.
However, an investigation by Eyewitness News shows that no records of the man's military service, so the I-team went to look for answers.
"He said he was a special forces major and was stopping through. He was back from deployment for a couple weeks, problem solving overseas," said a man, who asked Eyewitness News to conceal his identity because the accusations he's making are explosive, and he worries for his safety.
According to this man, another man, by the name of Greg Banks, was coming to the Mason's Hall in Danbury every few weeks. Banks would eventually show up one day in his dress blues with some awfully impressive medals.
"He walks in bronze star, purple heart, dress blues," the man told Eyewitness News.
The man added that he thought "something was not right."
"He gets all these awards all the sudden, he has a purple heart after being away for a couple weeks," the man said. "What happened?"
The tipster told Eyewitness News that he started checking into Banks. He looked at official records, searched online, and talked to friends who actually are special forces. There was no record of the man, who identified himself to the Mason's as Brother Greg Banks.
There were other red flags, according to Eyewitness News' source.
"He was wearing the wrong color beret. He was wearing it incorrectly," the man said. "He had awards on his chest that didn't make any sense."
Convinced Banks wasn't in the military at all, he reached out through an associate to the I-Team and the station started digging. Eyewitness News' request to The Pentagon for any military records for Gregory C. Banks came up empty. There's no record of a soldier by that name.
Then, just like the tipster, Eyewitness News quickly found a totally separate set of records for a Greg Banks. A man by the same name is licensed in Connecticut as a professional counselor. An online listing of therapists shows his picture and said he works with children and adults. He also has special training in helping clients deal with traumatic experiences.
"That's the name he used when he was wearing the uniform, 100 percent," the man said.
The tipster went onto say that the man, who was visiting the Mason's Hall, looked "absolutely" like the man in the pictures of the counselor Gregory Banks.
"I'd swear under oath that this was the same guy," the man said.
The I-Team went looking for answers. At the Danbury office for Gregory Banks Counseling LLC, no one was there. Eyewitness News slipped a note under the locked door.
Then I-Team went to the Brookfield home listed as the residence address for that business. No one was home.
Finally, I-Team stopped at the Farmington address listed on bank's website. He wasn't there, either. However, when shown the picture of Banks, people nearby said "he's very definitely in the military," but could not tell the station what he did.
The I-Team also sent emails to Banks, left him multiple voice messages, and even called the lawyer he used in his 2012 divorce. No one called back.
A review of the public records from that divorce show no mention of Banks being in the military. He told the masons, and even accepted awards for his service, but apparently didn't mention his work with the special forces to his spouse.
The man, who brought this claim to the I-team said he just wants Banks to "stop it."
"You're dishonoring every single person who took a bullet for this country and it's got to stop," the man added.
The tipster and some of the people he contacted reached out to the state Department of Health, they've asked them to launch an investigation. The I-Team investigation is continuing too.
If you know anything more about Greg Banks, the I-team would like to hear from you. Just fill out the form, by clicking here.
Copyright 2014 WFSB (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
http://www.wfsb.com/story/24682584/man-accused-of-posing-as-decorated-special-forces-solider