Jupiter Man Sentenced to 5 Years for $4.5M Military Fuel Fraud

Jasen Butler used fake identities and falsified documents to steal from U.S. warships over 18 months.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 9:51pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a crumpled, forged military fuel invoice, the harsh flash illuminating the textured paper and creating a stark, gritty aesthetic that conceptually represents the investigative nature of this white-collar crime case.A recent wave of fraud targeting military fuel contracts has exposed vulnerabilities in procurement processes and the need for tighter oversight.West Palm Beach Today

A 38-year-old Jupiter, Florida man named Jasen Butler was sentenced to 5 years in prison for a wire fraud, forgery, and money laundering scheme that stole over $4.5 million from the U.S. military. Butler, who owned a fuel services company, submitted dozens of falsified documents to multiple Navy ships attempting to purchase fuel overseas, allowing him to pocket the illicit payments before authorities caught on to his fake identity and fraudulent invoices.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing threat of white-collar crime targeting government contracts and military procurement, which can undermine national security and divert critical resources away from their intended purposes. The substantial prison sentence sends a strong message about the consequences of defrauding the U.S. armed forces.

The details

According to evidence presented at trial, Butler's company Independent Martin Oil Services LLC tampered with the bidding process for military fuel contracts and submitted falsified wire transfer memos, invoices, and other documents to multiple U.S. warships between August 2022 and January 2024 as they attempted to purchase fuel in international ports. After coming under scrutiny, Butler continued the scheme by hiding his identity and claiming to work for a nonexistent fuel division at another company.

  • Butler's crimes took place between August 2022 and January 2024.
  • Butler was sentenced on Thursday, April 9, 2026.

The players

Jasen Butler

A 38-year-old man from Jupiter, Florida who owned Independent Martin Oil Services LLC and was convicted of wire fraud, forgery, and money laundering for stealing over $4.5 million from the U.S. military through a fake invoicing scheme.

U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks

The judge who sentenced Jasen Butler to 5 years in prison for his crimes.

Todd Blanche

The Acting Attorney General who stated that the administration takes fraud against the military seriously and that the prison sentence reflects the seriousness of Butler's crimes.

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What they’re saying

“The defendant stole millions of dollars from our military with a fake job, fake identity, and fake invoices. This administration takes fraud against the American military seriously, and this prison sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime.”

— Todd Blanche, Acting Attorney General

What’s next

The judge has ordered the forfeiture of several multi-million-dollar properties in Florida and Colorado that Butler purchased with the illicit proceeds from his fraud scheme.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing threat of white-collar crime targeting government contracts and military procurement, which can undermine national security and divert critical resources away from their intended purposes. The substantial prison sentence sends a strong message about the consequences of defrauding the U.S. armed forces.