Medal of Honor: Stories of Courage From Deep Cover: The Suspect
Dec 30, 2025
Tom Donnelly, a VA investigator and chief of VA police in Rhode Island, takes center stage as he unravels the shocking story of Sarah Cavanaugh—a decorated Marine whose life was built on a web of deception. Donnelly shares insights from his investigation, detailing how he obtained critical evidence and coordinated searches that revealed Sarah's exploitation of charities and federal benefits. The deep emotional toll on Sarah and her loved ones, along with surprising twists in her story, make for an eye-opening narrative about truth and betrayal.
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Veteran Podcaster Amplifies A False Story
- Kate Mannion discovered Sarah Kavanaugh's story on Hunter 7 and was moved to tears by the detailed medical claims.
- She shared and promoted the fundraiser before learning the details were likely fabricated, which led her to publicly call out the fraud.
Small Errors Spark Big Investigations
- Commenters spotted uniform errors which triggered Hunter 7 to verify Sarah's service with the VA.
- A simple crowd-sourced inspection of images exposed the first crack in Sarah's fabricated military identity.
Charity Documents Linked To Stolen Records
- Tom Donnelly obtained documents Sarah submitted to Hunter 7 which became central evidence.
- Those records included copied medical notes that matched Justin's file, revealing theft of patient records.