Accused Marine faker pleads in traffic case - Marine Corps News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Marine Corps Times

Accused Marine faker pleads in traffic case

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A man accused of falsely claiming to be a Marine veteran, war veteran and 9/11 survivor pleaded guilty Tuesday to unrelated traffic charges.

Richard Glen Strandlof used the name Rick Duncan when he founded the Colorado Veterans Alliance in 2007. He said he was a Marine captain who served three tours in Iraq and was at the Pentagon during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack.

As Duncan, he spoke at anti-war rallies, advocated for homeless veterans and was quoted in news stories by The Associated Press and others. But the Colorado Veterans Alliance voted to disband last month after members said Strandlof had fabricated his story.

The Marines say they have no record of Strandlof or Duncan in the corps. The FBI has said it is investigating whether Strandlof used the fake identity to collect money. No charges have been filed.

Strandlof pleaded guilty in El Paso County Court to careless driving and driving without a license. He was fined $150 and sentenced to 20 days in jail, but with credit for time served was expected to be released as early as Tuesday.

Strandlof told KUSA-TV in Denver last week that “not everything I said was a factual as I wish it had been.”

He also told the station he has schizophrenia and bipolar disorder that were not treated until his arrest last month on the traffic charges.

On Tuesday, he declined to say whether he had served in the military, telling KUSA he didn’t want to back his attorneys “into a corner” if he faces any other court proceedings.

Related reading

• Vet advocate accused of being Marine faker