REVIEW
A nonprofit organization, Veterans America, based in Columbia, South Carolina, has found itself the target of what appears to be a coordinated witch hunt designed to disrupt and potentially destroy its operations through the use of governmental investigative power.
Evidence suggests that South Carolina’s Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs may be implicated. A critical unanswered question remains: was the complaint that triggered this investigation filed, directly or indirectly, by McCaffrey’s office? (or maybe Maj. Gen. McCaffrey himself?)
Veterans America, under the leadership of Mr. Earl Graham, has assisted a multitude of veterans for many years.
The organization provides vital support to seriously ill veterans who are unable to independently navigate the complex VA health care system, ensuring continuity of care and access to essential medical services.
Veterans America helps veterans obtain answers, but the majority of its work focuses on guiding veterans through the intricate disability claims process and, critically, helping veterans remain alive and supported within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) medical system.
For many years, Mr. Graham alone carried the full burden of this work. Veterans who received effective assistance shared their positive experiences with other veterans, and word spread quickly.
As demand increased, Mr. Graham found himself on the phone day and night, assisting veterans across the United States and abroad.
Approximately 95% of Veterans America’s clients come to Veterans America through referrals from satisfied veterans whose prior efforts at the state or county level had failed or stalled.
State and county veterans’ offices typically close at 4:00 p.m. and operate only Monday through Friday.
In contrast, Mr. Graham made himself available seven days a week. His phone was answered at all hours, often by Mr. Graham himself, as he assisted distressed veterans urgently seeking guidance and support.
According to numerous folks we have spoken to, no one person has done more for America’s veterans than has Mr. Earl Graham.
Given his long tenure, proven effectiveness, and sustained commitment to veterans statewide, numerous government officials encouraged Mr. Graham to establish his own nonprofit organization. He did just that, establishing VETERANS AMERICA LLC recognized as a 501(c)3 by the IRS.
Over time, the volume of requests became overwhelming, and Mr. Graham reached a breaking point. He faced a stark choice: either shut down entirely or expand capacity to serve more veterans more effectively. He chose expansion.
Mr. Graham applied for nonprofit status with the IRS, and Veterans America was established as a 501(c)(3) organization. To meet demand, he trained and mentored additional subcontractors to perform veterans’ claims work legally, ethically, and in accordance with standards he had upheld for years.
Once trained, a modest upfront research and administrative fee was implemented to support their work. Without this expansion, Veterans America would have been forced to cease operations altogether.
Veterans who had already sought assistance elsewhere—including free services provided by County Veteran Service Officers (VSOs)—were frequently referred by fellow veterans and even by county VSO personnel to Veterans America.
Some veterans agreed to pay a nominal upfront setup fee and 20% of any awarded back pay resulting from a successful VA claim. Under this arrangement, veterans retained 80% of any one-time back pay award and 100% of all monthly disability compensation going forward.
Critically, if a claim was unsuccessful, the veteran paid nothing. Notably, Veterans America does not abandon veterans after an award is secured.
The organization continues to support veterans until their long-term objectives are achieved and maintains lifelong client relationships without charging additional fees.
Veterans America reports a remarkable 98% success rate on the disability claims it files—substantially higher than the 40%–65% success rates typically associated with free VSO services, which vary widely depending on office and personnel.
WHY IS THE GOVERNMENT ATTACKING
A 501(c)3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION?
Without warning, Mr. Graham began receiving calls from veterans who had previously expressed satisfaction with his services, informing him that they had been contacted, or personally visited by an investigator from the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA OIG).
During these contacts, veterans were questioned about their experiences with Mr. Graham and Veterans America, specifically whether they had been pressured, coerced, or extorted in any manner.
MilitaryCorruption.com raised the obvious and critical question: why was Veterans America suddenly subjected to a federal investigation, and what precipitated this inquiry?
It soon became apparent that a complaint had been filed with the VA OIG alleging, without specificity, that Veterans America and/or Mr. Graham had engaged in misconduct involving veterans.
However, every veteran contacted and interviewed reported strong satisfaction with Mr. Graham and Veterans America, consistently denying any form of coercion, exploitation, or wrongdoing.
Secretary Todd McCaffrey was introduced to Mr. Graham on three occasions. The first interaction was cordial.
The second involved discussions about Mr. Graham’s interest in obtaining contact information for veteran services across all forty-six (46) South Carolina counties.
According to reviewed accounts, and unbeknownst to Mr. Graham at the time, Secretary McCaffrey allegedly harbored ulterior motives.
These reportedly stemmed from concerns that Mr. Graham’s expanding effectiveness could undermine centralized control over county-level veteran services, potentially threatening McCaffrey’s $149,000/yr. state position under a new gubernatorial administration.
For nearly nine years prior, Mr. Graham had worked directly with counties and county VSOs across all forty-six (46) counties, providing guidance and assistance that many local offices could not obtain elsewhere—work reportedly undertaken without Secretary McCaffrey’s knowledge.
Mr. Graham viewed the probe as a deliberate effort to uncover derogatory information about him or his organization. Given the hundreds of non-accredited individuals informally assisting veterans statewide, the question remains unavoidable: why was Mr. Graham singled out for federal scrutiny?
Veterans interviewed, including pastors, legislators, law enforcement officers, investigators, attorneys, a retired IRS investigator, and former VA employees, uniformly described Mr. Graham as professional, direct, persistent, and results-oriented. None reported misconduct.
SPECIAL AGENT PINKERTON — “JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS”
Special Agent Stephen Pinkerton was tasked with contacting veterans to determine whether Mr. Graham or Veterans America had extorted money from them. VA supervisors, managers, and executives were also questioned regarding possible improper financial arrangements.
Below is a phone call to a veteran from SA Pinkerton inquiring about Mr. Graham. By request, the interviewee’s voice has been extracted from the audio. The only voice is that of SA Pinkerton. (A complete transcript of the conversation can be downloaded; click HERE.)
Veterans additionally reported that some contacts included unannounced home visits during which Special Agent Pinkerton displayed his badge and the vet may have caught a glimpse of his firearm as well. The entire visit was very unsettling for some of the senior veterans.
Several veterans, elderly or seriously ill, reported fear, confusion, and exacerbation of medical conditions as a result of a surprise investigative probe by the VAOIG.
Pinkerton reportedly admitted that there were no specific allegations and that the investigation was exploratory in nature, designed to “see if anything was there.”
SPECULATION AND CONTEXT
Cheryl L. Mason was sworn in as Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs on August 4, 2025.
One plausible theory is that individuals within the VA sought to generate or amplify allegations against Mr. Graham to undermine both him and reform-oriented VA leadership.
Similar tactics have reportedly been employed in the Columbia Regional Office for years to maintain control over personnel and operational outcomes.
It remains unclear whether Secretary McCaffrey or individuals acting on his behalf contacted the Inspector General Cheryl Mason, or coordinated with VA OIG personnel.
What is clear is that Veterans America suffered reputational and operational harm as a direct result of the investigative process itself. It’s also clear that numerous other veterans suffered mental and emotional harm from what is characterized as a governmental witch hunt.
Veterans are frighten to even answer their phones because of the VAOIG action.
Would Cheryl L. Mason agree to such underhanded tactics? Has the VA OIG’s office, the Southeastern District Office and the Regional Office been manipulated by McCaffrey’s office? The investigation needs to be investigated.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The most damaging aspect of the investigation was not prosecution, but by implication. Veterans were contacted by federal agents and exposed to insinuations of criminal conduct without evidence, transparency, or due process.
Even absent charges, the reputational harm and chilling effect were real. Several subcontractors trained by Mr. Graham left Veterans America out of fear and uncertainty, reducing the organization’s capacity to serve veterans.
BOTTOM LINE
The injury here arose from the investigative process itself, not from any adjudicated wrongdoing. Government oversight must be rooted in evidence. When investigative authority is used to imply criminal conduct without factual basis, the process becomes the punishment.
LEGAL CONSEQUENCES AND POTENTIAL LIABILITY
The conduct described may implicate the Fifth Amendment Due Process Clause under the “stigma-plus” doctrine, the First Amendment’s protections of association and advocacy, defamation by implication, selective enforcement concerns, and potential violations of VA OIG policy.
In certain circumstances, personal liability may arise under constitutional tort theories or the Federal Tort Claims Act.
Veterans Driven Outside Accredited System
Due to Reported State-Level Pressure in South Carolina
There are concerns by county veterans’ service officers (VSOs) regarding the South Carolina Department of Veterans’ Affairs (SCDVA) and its current leadership.
According to multiple county-level sources, these issues are affecting how veterans receive assistance and are driving veterans away from the accredited claims system.
According to county veterans’ service officers and local officials, SCDVA leadership has allegedly engaged in practices that include: applying pressure reportedly tied to funding, resources, or state support when counties question or resist state directives.
State authorities are requiring counties to route veterans’ claims through the state office even when counties are trained, certified, and capable of handling claims directly. SCDVA leadership is creating delays and bottlenecks in claims processing as a result of this routing requirement.
And the worst of it; SCDVA is fostering an environment in which county VSOs report fear of retaliation or loss of support if concerns about state-level performance are raised.
According to those reporting these issues, these practices have limited counties’ ability to directly advocate for veterans and have reduced transparency between county and state offices.
A formal complaint outlining these allegations has reportedly been submitted to the South Carolina Office of Inspector General for review.
According to county VSOs and veterans they serve, the alleged state-level pressure and administrative control have had detrimental and unintended consequences.
Veterans are choosing to seek help from outside claim handlers who are not VA-certified or accredited.
According to veterans and county advocates, these outside handlers are selected specifically because they operate independently of SCDVA oversight and are not subject to the same state-level dictatorial control.
According to those reporting the issue, veterans are not choosing this route out of preference, but rather out of frustration the accredited system has become restrictive, delayed, or influenced by state interference.
According to public funding goals and stated agency missions, SCDVA exists to ensure veterans have access to free, competent, accredited assistance. If veterans are reportedly leaving that system due to alleged administrative pressure or fear of interference, this raises legitimate questions of public accountability.
At issue, according to veterans who have voiced frustration and concern to Veterans America, are questions such as:
- Whether state funding is allegedly being used as leverage over South Carolina counties
- Why counties are being prevented from assisting veterans directly
- Why veterans report feeling safer outside the accredited system
- What protections, if any, exist for county VSO representatives who raise concerns
The so-called main stream media needs to start asking questions. South Carolina reporters need to be speaking with VSOs and county officials (many report fear of retaliation). They need to be investigating the highly dubious complaint filed with the VAOIG office against Veterans America.
Reporters need to be examining the South Carolina Department of Veterans Affairs (SCDVA’s) authority over county offices and illogical funding structures. Reporters in South Carolina need to be asking why veterans are reportedly abandoning the accredited claims system.
According to those raising these concerns, transparency and independent review are necessary to restore trust and ensure veterans receive the assistance they deserve.
CONCLUSION
We will say it again, the investigation of Veterans America needs to be investigated. Using governmental police power and operating under-the-color-of-law to destroy a nonprofit organization is not only illegal, but evil and vile.
Veterans already face extraordinary challenges navigating the confusing VA system. Advocacy organizations like Veterans America fill a critical gap and honorably serve many veterans who are at wits end with state and county offices.
When government action chills lawful advocacy through insinuation rather than evidence, veterans and the public trust are the ultimate casualties.
The government witch hunt against Mr. Graham and Veterans America needs to stop, and Maj. Gen. Todd McCaffrey needs to be removed from office immediately.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Questions have been raised regarding actions taken by the South Carolina Department of Veterans Affairs toward Veterans America LLC, a 501(c)(3) organization. Specifically, concerns center on whether oversight or enforcement measures initiated during the tenure of Secretary Todd McCaffrey were consistent with established regulatory procedures and applied without bias or selective enforcement.
Obviously, there is no publicly adjudicated finding establishing misconduct by Secretary McCaffrey. However, transparency regarding the initiation, scope, and justification of investigative or compliance actions would help ensure confidence that oversight was conducted fairly, proportionately, and in accordance with due process.
There was no transparency at all. Instead, Mr. Earl Graham found himself the target of a federal criminal probe. To this day, he knows not why!
FACTS:
- An unnamed individual or organization filed an official complaint with the VA OIG office. While that complaint may have come from anyone, several of the people we have spoken with believe it very well may have originated out of Secretary McCaffrey’s office.
- The VA OIG could be an innocent victim where someone with malice aforethought crafted a complaint replete with falsehoods to discredit and/or destroy both Veterans America and possibly a couple supervisors at the VA as well.
- A criminal probe was initiated by the VA OIG.
- Special Agent Stephen Pinkerton was instructed to contact people on a list to determine if Mr. Graham or his organization was engaging in criminal misconduct such as extortion and/or fraud.
- Special Agent Pinkerton said he could not disclose who filed the complaint.
- Severe damage has been sustained by Veterans America as a result of this criminal probe. Associates quit due to police intimidation by the criminal probe and former veteran clients won’t answer their phones anymore.
- An acting supervisor at the VA was relieved of his duties even though there was no evidence of impropriety.
- A female supervisor was questioned and, as a result, has shutdown all communication with Veterans America. This has further injured Veterans America. Veterans America worked ethically, forthrightly and legally with VA supervisors to help veterans resolve their problems.
- The relationship between county VSO offices and state leadership is severely strained and veterans are suffering as a result.
- Veterans America has a 98% success rate in the cases they are handling.
- We only know Mr. Graham and his organization from people who know them best. This includes the veterans he serves and associates who benefit from his extraordinary knowledge of the Veterans Administration. We have only heard good things about the man and can only conclude this governmental witch hunt is unwarranted and has evil intent behind it.
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