Las Cruces, N.M. — New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has filed a lawsuit against Disabled Veterans Consultants, Inc. (DVC), a Las Crucesbased company accused of illegally charging veterans for benefits consulting services that are available for free through federally accredited organizations.
The lawsuit, filed in the Third Judicial District Court, alleges that DVC violated the New Mexico Unfair Practices Act by offering unauthorized services to veterans seeking disability benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The state is seeking restitution for affected veterans, a permanent shutdown of the business, and civil penalties.
“Our veterans have sacrificed and fought for our country and deserve to be treated with the utmost respect—not taken advantage of by businesses illegally seeking to make a profit off of their earned benefits,” said Attorney General Torrez in a press release.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, DVC and its co-defendants— Zeplin Global Group, LLC; MJJL Holdings, LLC; and GTM Bookkeeping, LLC—charged veterans fees for assistance with disability claims despite lacking VA accreditation, a legal requirement for anyone providing such services. Veterans were allegedly instructed to pay third-party companies instead of DVC directly.
The complaint also alleges that DVC misrepresented its ability to expedite claims and secure higher disability ratings. The NMDOJ contends that such promises are false, as all VA claims follow the same standardized process and timeline.
Among the specific claims in the lawsuit:
• DVC charged fees— sometimes a percentage of a veteran’s awarded benefits— for services that are legally required to be free.
• The company allegedly marketed itself as capable of speeding up or increasing benefit awards.
• Payments were funneled through affiliated out-of-state companies to obscure financial transactions.
Under federal law, only VA-accredited individuals and organizations may assist veterans with benefit claims, and charging fees for this assistance is tightly regulated. None of DVC’s employees or affiliates are accredited by the VA, according to the state’s investigation.
The Attorney General’s Office is seeking several remedies through the lawsuit: • Full restitution for veterans who paid for DVC’s services.
• Rescission of all contracts between DVC and veterans.
• A permanent ban on the company’s operations in New Mexico.
• Civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation.
• Reimbursement of legal and investigative costs.
Veterans who believe they may have been impacted are encouraged to contact the New Mexico Department of Justice at nmdoj.gov/get-help or by calling (505) 490-4060.
The case underscores ongoing efforts by the state to protect vulnerable populations— including veterans— from deceptive business practices