Charles Coughlin

Commander Charles Coughlin, United States Navy (Retired), received the purple heart for his injuries received during the 9-11 terrorist attacks on the Pentagon. On September 18, 2008, a complaint was filed against Coughlin in U.S. District Court alleging that he overstated the severity of his injuries in order to gain compensation fraudulently.The Smoking Gun: Pentagon Hero A Fraudster? (September 22, 2008)

On May 18, 2009, the jury deadlocked on the Coughlin's fraud case; the second time a deadlock in the case. The case was dismissed again but will be retried in June 2009.Salon: Prosecutors ending case against wife in fraud case (May 18, 2009)

Charles Coughlin is a decorated Navy hero honored for his heroism after the 9/11 attacks at the Pentagon. He says he was wounded in the attack—that falling debris fell on him when he ran back into the building to save people. He says he was in his office at the Pentagon when the attacks began and was injured when pieces of the ceiling hit his head. He went back into the building and was hurt again, so he said, when he ran into a door jamb.

He won a Purple Heart and a Meritorious Service Medal for his efforts.New York Post: 9/11 'Hero' Ripped Off Fund: Feds (September 23, 2008)

His application for compensation from the victims' fund included a laundry list of ills, including the comment that he could "no longer run marathons", and he received $330,000. However, he was photographed playing lacrosse and he ran the New York City Marathon in November 2001, coming in in 3 hours and 43 minutes.New York Post: 9/11 'Hero' Ripped Off Fund: Feds (September 23, 2008)

Prosecutors argue that the injuries actually stem from a 1998 injury that he suffered while doing home repairs, and he had recovered from that injury enough to run marathons. Coughlin argues that his normal running time for marathons is 3 hours, 10 minutes.USA Today: Ex-officer accused of defrauding 9/11 fund (March 10, 2009)