A Pennsylvania congressman is asking the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate a viral video that surfaced over the weekend showing a man allegedly posing as a U.S. Army Ranger, according to a report from Philly.com.
The video was posted to YouTube on Friday and has since been viewed nearly 2 million times.
The video shows a man dressed in camouflage as he is approached by the man filming the video – who happens to be a real veteran.
That veteran is Ryan Berk, a Purple Heart recipient who served in Afghanistan as a member of the 101st Airborne Division.
Berk captured the encounter on his phone and is heard asking the man a series of questions about his uniform.
On Monday, Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick sent a letter to U.S. Attorney Zane Memeger saying the video could possibly contain video of a federal crime.
The Stolen Valor Act of 2013 makes it a crime for anyone to fraudulently claim to have received any military decorations with the intention of obtaining money, property, or tangible benefit.
The video does not show the man attempting to obtain any benefit, just potentially posing as someone he is not, which in itself, is not considered a crime.
Allegations are surfacing, however, that the man may have been wearing the uniform to obtain military discounts at stores in the mall.
