A Brooklyn Army vet, Papotia Reginald Wright, is accused of being a fraud after boasting a resume that was too impressive to be true- because it wasn’t.
Wright, who claimed he was a Purple Heart and Bronze Star recipient, used his faux clout to get into galas and was even granted field access to the Giants.
According to military documents obtained through a FOIA request by Guardians of the Green Beret, he lied about everything from his rank to his time served.
Brooklyn Army vet, Papotia Reginald Wright (left and right), is accused of faking being a Green Beret, as well as being a Purple Heart recipient
For one, Wright never served in the Special Forces, never saw combat, and never rose above the rank of ‘specialist.’
Wright was mostly a driver during his time in the military and spent his time in Alaska, Egypt, Georgia and Texas.
He claimed his illustrious military career spanned 25 years, however according to the documents as reported by the New York Post, he served between 1982 and 1990.
Wright would wear a fake Green Berets uniform with a Special Forces patch and Purple Heart medal to various functions.
He started an organization to help veterans in Brooklyn in 2016, and called it the 8th Special Forces Regiment New York Honor Guard.
In his bio on the group’s site, which has since been removed, it read:
‘In August of 1982, [Command Sergeant Major] Wright was ordered to Fort Bragg, N.C., where he became a member of the U.S. Military Special Operations Command for over 25 years.
‘CSM Wright circumnavigated the world while performing his duties when it pertained to defending America and her citizens for his actions.’
Wright was found out after the Guardians of the Green Beret, a group made up up of current and former Special Forces, began investigating him after they received a tip.
It is a federal crime, under the Stolen Valor Act, to lie about military heroics for monetary gain and other benefits.
‘It bothers us. Stolen valor is an epidemic. We cannot keep up with the cases sent to us,’ one member of the group said.
‘Wearing fake stuff — wearing a Ranger tab, Special Forces tab, those things are hard to earn. Wearing a Purple Heart…that stuff’s unforgivable there.’
Wright (right) was accused of using his faux clout to get onto the field at a Giants game
Jeff Johnson, 37, who served over 11 years in the Army, worked at Wright’s organization.
‘It wasn’t confirmed to me until three or four days ago when I got a call from one of the members of the unit who was heartbroken,’ he told The Post.
‘For a while I just started chuckling. It was like this uncomfortable chuckle. That’s when I realized I was played for a friggin’ fool.’
‘He said he was living off half a kidney,’ Johnson said. ‘He’s an amazing storyteller because he will get into details.’
Wright gave Johnson a Special Forces patch.
‘I did feel odd wearing it,’ he said. ‘There’s a sacred aura to it.’
He would also refer to Johnson as ‘colonel’ in public, but he was a major. Johnson now realized he was being used as part of the ruse.
Johnson attended a gala with Wright for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, which was attended by Meghan McCain and retired General David Petraeus.
‘When I look back on it I realize why he needed me there — to make it look legit,’ Johnson said.