Authorities say a Madisonville man faces a forgery charge after an investigation into fraudulent military documents used to secure a leadership position within the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
According to Madisonville Police, 56-year-old James Werfelman was arrested on Friday at police headquarters and charged with second-degree forgery following an inquiry that began on January 21st. Authorities say they were notified by the VFW State Commander, who reported discrepancies in Werfelman’s military discharge papers.
Officials say the investigation revealed that after Werfelman was elected to an officer position, he failed to meet the minimum requirements for VFW membership. When confronted, police say Werfelman submitted new documents claiming he had received a “Combat Action Ribbon”.
Investigators said it was later determined that Werfelman never received the ribbon and used the falsified document to maintain his membership and office. Police also reportedly discovered that the fraudulent record had been filed with the Hopkins County Clerk’s Office in November of 2025.
