Slidell Woman Sentenced to 18 Months for Misappropriating Veteran’s Funds

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SLOANE SIGNAL-DEBOSE, Ph.D., age 52, a resident of Slidell, was sentenced on October 11, 2023 to 18 months in prison for misappropriating funds from a veteran.

SIGNAL previously pled guilty to misappropriation by a veteran’s fiduciary, in violation of Title 38, United States Code, Section 6101.  According to court documents, from 2016 until 2018 SIGNAL was a fiduciary for a veteran who needed assistance with the management of his affairs, and she had control over the veteran’s finances and bank accounts.  During that time, SIGNAL took over $100,000 from the veteran’s accounts, and routed it through bank accounts in her own name.  SIGNAL ultimately used the money as the down payment on a home for which she was the sole legal owner.  SIGNAL also used additional funds from the veteran to pay contractors working on SIGNAL’s home.  SIGNAL then submitted false records to the Department of Veteran’s Affairs to hide her misuse of the veteran’s funds.

The United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced SIGNAL to eighteen months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.  Judge Vance ordered a restitution hearing to be set at a future date.

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General.  Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses, Health Care Coordinator, is in charge of the prosecution.