A federal grand jury has indicted a U.S. Air Force pharmacist and his husband for allegedly stealing $3 million from the Department of War to fund a luxurious lifestyle that included a million-dollar home in Tucson, a $141,00o Porsche, and a $195,000 BMW Sports Utility Vehicle.
Staff Sgt. Richard Stefon Ramroop, 35, and Manuel George Madrid, 32, were hit with a 12-count indictment for their alleged fraudulent scheme to obtain money from the federal government between January 2022 and December 2025, the U.S. District Attorney’s Office for Arizona announced Thursday.
On Feb. 11, 2026, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned the indictment against the couple, both of Tucson, “for Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Government Property, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud, and Money Laundering,” the D.A.’s office said in a statement.
According to the announcement:
The indictment alleges that from January 2022 through on or about December 2025, Staff Sgt. Ramroop utilized his position in the pharmacy at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to defraud the U.S. government by purchasing thousands of medical devices using taxpayer funds, and thereafter, stealing and reselling those devices with Madrid for their own personal gain.
According to court records from 2022 through 2025, bank accounts controlled by Ramroop and Madrid received over $11 million in fraud proceeds through wire transfers, Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposits, and other credits from companies engaged in the resale of medical test strips and devices. Meanwhile, the orders of these diverted medical devices cost the U.S. Department of War over $3 million.
“The defendants allegedly stole millions in taxpayer dollars from the U.S. Department of War to bankroll a lavish lifestyle, diverting critical resources away from their intended purpose,” U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine said. “Every dollar taken through fraud is a dollar denied to the mission it was meant to support.”
Law enforcement seized the vehicles, along with other property, during the execution of a search warrant on January 15, 2026, according to prosecutors.
Ramroop and Madrid purchased the $1.1. million dollar home in the Tucson Mountains neighborhood in January 2024, according to the New York Post.
The home, a “5,622 square-foot desert abode, features four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms on 4.9 acres with a double stair grand entrance and five-car garage, according to an online listing,” the Post reported.
The six-figure luxury vehicles were part of a vast collection of seven other cars, including a 2026 Cadillac Escalade and a 2026 BMW X7, according to the Post.
According to the Department of Justice:
A conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Government Property carries a maximum penalty of up to 5 years imprisonment. Each conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Wire Fraud carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment. Each conviction for Money Laundering carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment.
A number of federal criminal investigative agencies took part in the probe of the pair, including the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
“Military servicemembers hold a unique position in our society, where they are entrusted with large amounts of taxpayer dollars to ensure the defense of our nation,” the IRS’s Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Jarom Gregory said. “When a service member abuses their position for personal gain, it erodes trust in the tax system and harms the very citizens they have sworn an oath to protect.”
Contributor Lowell Cauffiel is the best-selling author of the Los Angeles crime novel Below the Line and nine other crime novels and nonfiction titles. See lowellcauffiel.com for more.
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