Paul H. Lemmen
Encyclopedia
Paul H. Lemmen is a military impostor and convicted criminal, specializing in fraud. To various acquaintainces, Lemmen claimed to have been an intelligence officer in the Irish Republican Army
before coming to the United States. Later, he changed his story to having joined the United States Air Force
in 1972 and serving with the 41st Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron in Saigon for six months in 1974. Other service claims include spending 1980-1988 as an intelligence agent in an AFSOC unit, including an assignment in Beirut
in 1983. According to his own accounts in 2003, he was promoted to Brigadier General and retired in 2005.
In an interview with reporter Kevin Maurer of the Fayetteville Observer
, he claimed that he was a victim of a smear campaign to discredit him after he had told Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
that he would no longer participate in intelligence gathering on United States citizens. The article also reported:
In fact, Lemmen was a salesman and IT
consultant with no military experience. He did work in database
administration at America's Moneyline, a division of Saxon Mortgage. When contacted, the Air Force stated that it has no record that there has ever been any general by the name of Paul H. Lemmen. His current residence is Chattanooga, Tennessee
.
While working for Blue Iraq, Lemmen befriended members of the U.S. Army 3rd Special Forces Group. He also traveled to Kuwait
and, in Air Force
uniform, and made claims that he had negotiated a lucrative investment deal with the a member of the Kuwaiti Royal Family. In e-mails and news group posts, Lemmen claimed that he was involved in three separate IED
attacks. It is unlawful to negotiate a private business agreement under color of uniform . During his time in Iraq, Lemmen started to openly wear his uniform while on U.S. bases in Iraq .
In January 2006, Lemmen was arrested by the US Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) for posing as a General Officer and ordered back to the States. At the time, he claimed the arrest was a ‘misunderstanding’ but he had been cleared of any wrongdoing. He continued to claim that he was the CEO for Blue Iraq.
Command.
,
it was found that Lemmen had a criminal record dating back to 1985.
Criminal history includes:
in 2006, related to various financial transactions, including the deposit of "some multi-million dollar checks which he had deposited in two financial institutions from the Bank of Kuwait. He admitted to the agents that the checks were fraudulent and that he was supposed to get ten percent of the proceeds from an individual he named." (see Order of Detention below)
On March 21, 2007, US Magistrate Judge Joe H. Brown, in the US District Court of the Middle District of Tennessee, ordered Lemmen held without bail. Judge Brown concluded, in his order, "The Magistrate Judge is firmly convinced that if this individual were released, he would be attempting to perpetrate a fraud on someone before the sun set that same day. The Defendant would also flee at the first opportunity. He has done so repeatedly in the past
and undoubtedly would do so again."
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
before coming to the United States. Later, he changed his story to having joined the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
in 1972 and serving with the 41st Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron in Saigon for six months in 1974. Other service claims include spending 1980-1988 as an intelligence agent in an AFSOC unit, including an assignment in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
in 1983. According to his own accounts in 2003, he was promoted to Brigadier General and retired in 2005.
In an interview with reporter Kevin Maurer of the Fayetteville Observer
Fayetteville Observer
The Fayetteville Observer is a daily newspaper published in Fayetteville, North Carolina. It has been locally owned by the same family for over 80 years, and claims to be the largest independent newspaper in the state....
, he claimed that he was a victim of a smear campaign to discredit him after he had told Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
that he would no longer participate in intelligence gathering on United States citizens. The article also reported:
Jaimie Brehler, a Durham-based investigator who checks out military imposters, said that Lemmen was the subject of an investigation by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID). Chris Grey, a CID spokesman, said only that the command started an investigation of a contractor posing as a military officer in August 2005 and completed the probe in January. No results have been announced from that investigation. It is a violation of federal law to wear military decorations without authorization.
In fact, Lemmen was a salesman and IT
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
consultant with no military experience. He did work in database
Database
A database is an organized collection of data for one or more purposes, usually in digital form. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality , in a way that supports processes requiring this information...
administration at America's Moneyline, a division of Saxon Mortgage. When contacted, the Air Force stated that it has no record that there has ever been any general by the name of Paul H. Lemmen. His current residence is Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
.
Time in Iraq
Through a series of online acquaintances, Lemmen made contact with a company called Blue Iraq. Blue Iraq had won a contract to install and maintain telecommunications equipment on United States installations throughout Iraq. Lemmen was hired as an IT consultant, and obtained clearance to travel to Iraq beginning in late 2005.While working for Blue Iraq, Lemmen befriended members of the U.S. Army 3rd Special Forces Group. He also traveled to Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
and, in Air Force
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
uniform, and made claims that he had negotiated a lucrative investment deal with the a member of the Kuwaiti Royal Family. In e-mails and news group posts, Lemmen claimed that he was involved in three separate IED
Improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
attacks. It is unlawful to negotiate a private business agreement under color of uniform . During his time in Iraq, Lemmen started to openly wear his uniform while on U.S. bases in Iraq .
In January 2006, Lemmen was arrested by the US Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) for posing as a General Officer and ordered back to the States. At the time, he claimed the arrest was a ‘misunderstanding’ but he had been cleared of any wrongdoing. He continued to claim that he was the CEO for Blue Iraq.
Arlington Cemetery incident
After being sent back from Iraq, Lemmen attended a military funeral in full Air Force uniform displaying the rank of brigadier general. The funeral at Arlington Cemetery was of Army MSG Tony Yost, who had been killed in action in Iraq. Officers attending Yost’s funeral included Maj. Gen. John F. Mulholland, then commander of U.S. Army Special ForcesUnited States Army Special Forces
The United States Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets because of their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force tasked with six primary missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, hostage rescue, and...
Command.
Criminal record
Upon further investigation,
it was found that Lemmen had a criminal record dating back to 1985.
Criminal history includes:
- 3 counts of Grand Theft ($300 – $20,000) - Felony - Florida, 1985
- 1 count Fugitive - Wanted in Other Jurisdiction - Florida, 1989
- 1 count of Grand Theft ($300 – $20,000) - Felony - Florida, 1990
- 1 count of Obtaining Property in Return for Worthless Check - Florida, 1996
- 1 count of Passing Worthless Check - Misdemeanor - Florida, 2000
- 1 count of Failure to Appear on 3 counts of Obtaining Property in Return for Worthless Check - Florida, 2000
- Arrested by Army CID, Iraq on suspicion of impersonating a general officer and suspicion of embezzlement scam regarding a DoD vendor.
Detention order
An investigation by the US Secret ServiceUnited States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
in 2006, related to various financial transactions, including the deposit of "some multi-million dollar checks which he had deposited in two financial institutions from the Bank of Kuwait. He admitted to the agents that the checks were fraudulent and that he was supposed to get ten percent of the proceeds from an individual he named." (see Order of Detention below)
On March 21, 2007, US Magistrate Judge Joe H. Brown, in the US District Court of the Middle District of Tennessee, ordered Lemmen held without bail. Judge Brown concluded, in his order, "The Magistrate Judge is firmly convinced that if this individual were released, he would be attempting to perpetrate a fraud on someone before the sun set that same day. The Defendant would also flee at the first opportunity. He has done so repeatedly in the past
and undoubtedly would do so again."
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