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Man Faked Being Army General for Executive Job

By Stephanie Rabiner, Esq. on April 25, 2011 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

What would possess a person to elaborately fake a stint in the military for a construction job is unclear, but Randall Thomas Keyser of Barboursville, West Virginia thought it was a good idea.

The FBI announced last week that it had arrested Keyser on charges of wire fraud after he faked his military background so that he could get a job.

The fake Army general applied to a $175,000 construction job with an Akron, Ohio company, reports the Associated Press. His resume stated that he had served several tours of duty and that he was a commanding officer with the Department of Defense's Joint Construction Command.

Keyser also faked emails and phone calls with the company, plastering them with official seals, and pretending to be military personnel, according to the Associated Press.

The company eventually brought Randall Thomas Keyser to Ohio for an interview, which cost it $200, reports WSAZ.

He showed up wearing a military uniform.

Suspicious, the company reported the fake Army general to the FBI, which led to an investigation and his arrest for wire fraud.

While the wire fraud charges appear to stem from the $200 spent on Keyser's interview, prosecutors can actually charge the fake Army general with impersonating a military official.

U.S. law makes it illegal to wear any "distinctive part" of a U.S. military uniform without permission, as well as to lie about receiving specific types of military honors. The crime is punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a fine.

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