In a complicated case that spanned over half a decade, the E-6 was charged at a General Court Martial for bigamy, adultery, and various forms of financial fraud, all stemming from the divorce of his first wife that occurred five years earlier. The government claimed that the defendant created a forged divorce decree, and used it to illegally re-marry his current wife and collect additional housing allowance.
In 2007, prior to obtaining Bilecki Law Group the Staff Sergeant was in the process of divorcing his first wife and utilized an online divorce website in order to obtain an uncontested divorce. After paying the fees, and providing all the required documents, it took about six months for our client to receive what appeared to be a legitimate divorce decree. Based on that document, the Soldier believed that the divorce had occurred, and he began paying child support to his ex-wife through the state’s child support enforcement agency.
Years later, the Staff Sergeant received emails from an attorney representing his ex-wife, claiming that the initial 2007 divorce decree was a forgery. The emails went on to say that the matter would not be reported to the Soldier’s commanding general, providing that he agreed to pay his ex-wife over $25,000 in additional child support and give her a portion of his retirement. The Staff Sergeant refused and a criminal investigation followed.
Nearly a year after the initial criminal investigation began, and with the defendant’s continued refusal to give in to the excessive financial demands of his ex-wife, the government preferred criminal charges against him at a General Court Martial. Bilecki Law Group was then retained to fight the charges of bigamy, adultery, financial fraud and falsifying documents.
Bilecki investigators conducted a full background check on the ex-wife, and discovered that she had significant debt, as well as serious truthfulness and credibility problems. Bilecki conducted the investigation the government should have completed during the initial stage of the case. Mr. Bilecki traveled to Camp Casey, Korea for the Article 32 hearing in this case. Given the evidence the defense team obtained, the government finally withdrew and dismissed all charges against the Client after the Article 32.