Love may lift us up where we belong, where eagles fly, but wedding planning can drag us right back down to earth. In 2012, Air Force Captain Tyler Eppes planned his dream nuptials with his bride-to-be. The destination wedding was pricey, and he tried to find ways his dearly beloved could save a few dollars. A room block wouldn't cut it, and Eppes pulled some strings to waive taxes in the room and fly his buddies in for free. And by pulling strings, I mean he forged documents and committed fraud. The wedding festivities were just the tip of the fraud iceberg, and in the blink of an eye, Captain Tyler Eppes went from saying "I do" in his vows to "I did" in his guilty plea hearing.

I used the appellate court opinions: AFCCA, CAAF

SCOTUS (1)(2)(3)

And referenced information from: Cornell Law School, Military One Source, Inspectors General, AFOSI, AF.mil (1)(2), Wikipedia.

This episode discussed prescription drug misuse. If you, or someone you know, struggle with substance use, the SAMHSA National Helpline can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP, and their treatment locator is available online.

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Disclaimer: Conduct Unbecoming is a podcast where I get to talk about interesting crimes and cases that involve US military service members. I research, write, and produce the podcast myself… the opinions expressed are my own and, perhaps it’s obvious, Conduct Unbecoming is not approved, endorsed or authorized by the Department of Defense. I am not a military JAG and have never been a military JAG. While I'm a practicing attorney, I don't do direct criminal defense. This podcast is a passion project, not legal advice or expert opinion.