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Gabrielle Beutler, pictured in a photo she submitted to the Franklin County Citizen after being named commander of Lavonia VFW Post 5897 in June, was arrested last week on charges of falsely representing herself as a veteran.
A woman arrested on charges of falsely representing herself as a veteran allegedly lied about her child’s health issues too.
Lavonia Police Chief Bruce Carlisle said it was his understanding that Gabrielle Beutler admitted through investigative interviews that her child never had cancer. He believed related charges would be coming from another agency.
Beutler, who had been serving as the Lavonia Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5897 commander since June, was arrested last week on charges of false statements and writings, false representation of a veteran and forgery.
According to a statement from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Beutler altered documents for association and promotion in the VFW and used false identification documents to obtain Purple Heart license plates for her vehicles, both felonies. False representation of a veteran is a misdemeanor charge.
She was arrested at the Lavonia VFW without incident, the statement read.
As of Tuesday morning, she remained in the Franklin County Jail and had a $50,000 bond set.
The Hart County Sheriff’s Office has an active hold on Beutler on four charges — two counts of manufacturing, selling or distributing false identification document and two counts of false representation as a veteran.
Carlisle said it was his understanding that Beutler never served in the military, and had no injury at all to her leg.
She had claimed to the Franklin County Citizen Leader that her leg was injured by an improvised explosive device while serving in the U.S. Air Force in Afghanistan and that she was a Purple Heart recipient.
“From my understanding, the whole thing was fabricated,” Carlisle said.
He said a VFW member brought information about Beutler to the Lavonia Police Department, initiating the investigation.
“The VFW is totally a victim in this,” Carlisle said. “They were taken advantage of and preyed upon.”
Tony Dobbins, state adjutant of the VFW Department of Georgia, issued a statement Thursday sharing the department was aware of Beutler’s arrest and charges.
“Due to the ongoing investigation we cannot comment at this time. The VFW will continue to assist our Veterans and their families and be active in the community as always.”
Previous Lavonia commander and current district senior vice commander Jason Nichols shared a statement as well on Facebook.
“I am aware of the disgraceful actions of Gabby that have deeply affected our Veterans and Community,” he wrote. “At this time I have No Comment regarding the ongoing investigation. Thank you for all the Support and Let’s get back to helping Veterans and our Community!”
Beutler was removed from her duties as commander, and was removed from other positions in the organization. She was also serving as the District Third Year Trustee and the state Natural Disaster Relief Chairwoman, and was on the national organization’s legislation committee.
Besides her payment for employment in roles in the organization, Carlisle said the VFW has not reported any stolen funds.
Aaron Kennedy was good friends with Beutler before he left the Post in February.
“I’m still in disbelief,” Kennedy said Thursday.
He said she joined the Lavonia Post last summer, and had previously been a member of the Gainesville Post and a post in Las Vegas.
“The day she got there, she told everybody about how her daughter had cancer,” Kennedy said.
He said no one saw the truth about her daughter’s medical condition coming. He noted she shared information from hospital visits, which he now believes were fake due what he recently learned.
“The whole thing with the cancer surprised everyone,” he said.
When she decided to move to the Franklin County area from the Gainesville area, members of the Post helped her find a place to live that was close to a school for her daughters, he said.
She quickly climbed up the ranks — every time she said she wanted to learn a role, the position would soon open, giving her the opportunity to serve.
He said she was really good for the Post due to her level of involvement — in fact, they called her “the unicorn” because it’s rare to have a female veteran willing to be involved and also be one given a Purple Heart.
“It’s just that nobody knew what she was doing on the side,” he said.
He went with her when she got her Purple Heart tags, which she is now accused of falsifying the documents to obtain.
He said everyone thought she was “amazing,” and that the state department of the VFW even created a position for her.
“When she wasn’t trying to benefit herself, she helped a lot of people,” he said.
She even helped his own family, encouraging VFW members to donate money — almost $500 — to help when his infant grandson passed away.
Although she did a lot of good for the community, Kennedy contends she deserves whatever punishment she is given for her alleged wrongs.
Looking back, he said her stories about her service constantly changed, but he noted that some veterans do embellish their stories from time to time.
He recalled her sharing that she was getting disability from the VA for her injuries from war.
He said the members had no clue that she had falsified information about her past. And, if the VFW and its members had known, they wouldn’t have let her continue to serve the organization.
“They would not just abide by this and let it go,” he said. “The Post was just as blindsided about this as everybody else.”
Beutler had received honors and donations due to her claimed status as a veteran and for the health issues she said her daughter suffered.
At a District 2 Female Veterans Appreciation luncheon held May 21 in Cornelia, Beutler received a Quilt of Valor. The Quilts of Valor Foundation awards quilts to veterans in recognition of their service to the nation.
In an Instagram post, Beutler wrote that she was honored to receive the quilt at the luncheon.
“It’s come at a point in my life where I been feeling super down,” she wrote. “I am blessed to have all these amazing folks backing me and pushing me. DISTRICT 2 SECOND TO NONE!”
On a GoFundMe Beutler created Sept. 27, 2021, she wrote that her daughter has been diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer of the upper left lobe.
As of Aug. 23, the GoFundMe was still active and had raised $1,650 of its $2,000 goal.
In March, the Toccoa VFW Post 4346 hosted an event to raise funds for her daughter’s medical treatments. According to a post made by Beutler, over $4,500 was raised at the event.
“Without even knowing it, you all helped us pay (my daughter’s) medical expenses and help create a little cushion for future treatments,” Beutler wrote at the time. “We go for a round of treatments in April and also find out more from the last round. Please keep her in your prayers as we continue.”
From the Hart Events, which helped organize the fundraiser, posted an announcement about the event on their Facebook page on Aug. 17.
“The person we organized this event for falsely claimed her daughter having cancer, and falsely claimed documentation of who she was. This lady is a con artist,” the announcement read. “We are currently working with GBI in helping recover all the money that was raised for her in this event. Once an entire list of her victims has been received, we will be appointed a victim advocate for possible restitutions. If you were a part of this ride and signed our registration form, please message us your name and address so we can add you to our report. We are saddened and deeply hurt that we helped and trusted this person. And rest assured she will be brought to justice for this crime and the many others she has committed. Unfortunately we were all victims of her disturbed scam.”
Beutler has been claiming her daughter had cancer since at least the end of 2019 when she was living in Nevada, and wrote about treatments at Optum Care Cancer Specialists in Henderson, Nev., in early 2020.
That’s when Ralph Griggs of Las Vegas was pulled in to help her.
A VFW member in Las Vegas asked Griggs if he could help Beutler. He ended up giving her $2,000.
“She just scammed me, she used people here with a VFW Post that is now closed,” Griggs said, assuring her actions did not cause the Post to close. “Crying stories of needing help, child with cancer, which was a lie.”
He said a series of things transpired causing people to learn that she was lying.
“No investigation that I know of,” Griggs said. “She split right after she was being noticed.”
Carlisle said Beutler’s two children were placed with a family member following her arrest.
The Northeast Georgian and The Hartwell Sun newspapers contributed to this report.