223:
According to testimony provided at trial from
Castillo's 11-year-old son, his father bribed him with gold to obtain the code to the residence's security alarm, though the son was unaware of the reason Castillo wanted access to the home. In addition, Castillo's younger son had been in the residence on
190:
veteran, sarcastically chided him: "I'm so glad you would be willing to play football in prep-school again to protect this great country". In its final report, the committee questioned the severity of
Castillo's injury, noting that he played competitive football for several years after receiving it.
199:
considered training, not active duty. However, if a person is injured at either school, he or she becomes a veteran due to the service-connected disability. This policy is codified with respect to service at the academies, and is extended in the Code of
Federal Regulations to include prep schools.
216:
In 2014, Castillo murdered his wife, Michelle, then staged the homicide scene to make it appear like a suicide. At the time, Castillo was embroiled in a contentious divorce with his spouse and the two were living separately, with
Michelle Castillo having obtained a restraining order against her
198:
Braulio
Castillo would not have been considered a veteran had he completed his year at USMAPS without injury. Normally, a cadet is not considered a veteran until he or she graduates from West Point, enters active duty, and subsequently leaves active duty. Time spent at USMAPS and West Point is
207:
tax credits, however, investigators later said they made several visits to the office and never found anyone there, suggesting that employee timesheets had been manipulated to falsely make it appear employees were working at the location. Castillo denied any wrongdoing, stating "we have never
122:
at West Point without incurring any financial or service obligation. The preparatory school is operated for potential West Point cadets who lack the academic aptitude to immediately enroll in the U.S. Military
Academy, but who have otherwise qualified for entry due to
168:, Castillo averred that he could not enjoy long walks with family members due to his ankle injury, describing it as a cross "that I bear due to my service to our great country". The veteran designation helped Strong Castle win $ 500 million in contracts from the
224:
the night of the murder and testified to seeing his father present in the home, despite
Castillo claiming not to have been inside the house for a year. Finally, Castillo's DNA was discovered on the shirt Michelle Castillo was wearing when her body was discovered.
83:
In 2012, he was the subject of widespread controversy after it was revealed his company had received $ 500 million in government contracts due to his claimed veteran status, which consisted of ten months spent at the
227:
In a later letter to his father, the older
Castillo child declared "I know you did it, you know you did it, we all know you did it". Castillo was given a life prison sentence. As of 2024, he is incarcerated at
671:
277:
176:
220:
Braulio
Castillo accomplished the murder by smothering and bludgeoning Michelle Castillo in bed, then dragging her corpse downstairs to a lower level bathroom where he hanged it from a noose.
661:
164:
After becoming CEO of Strong Castle, Castillo applied for – and received – veteran preference in federal government contracting for Strong Castle. According to his application to the
111:, for one year before dropping out following an ankle injury he suffered. Castillo variously claimed the injury occurred while playing football or while on a field exercise.
217:
husband after alleging physical abuse. Michelle
Castillo was reportedly seeking $ 168,000 of annual alimony and child support from Braulio Castillo as part of the divorce.
566:
532:
666:
656:
651:
104:
85:
37:
641:
156:
In 2012, Castillo purchased Signet Computers, an information technology firm, later renaming it Strong Castle. He served as the company's CEO.
302:
636:
599:
431:
240:
With Michelle, Castillo has five biological and adopted children. Prior to his incarceration, he was active in McLean Bible Church.
459:
229:
124:
92:
266:
118:
as "invitational reservists", a status that permits them to voluntarily withdraw at any point prior to matriculation to the
203:
Castillo also operated an office for Strong Castle in a disadvantaged neighborhood that would allow the company to obtain
165:
133:
story about Castillo, the military academy prep school system is generally perceived of as a "scam", an opinion echoed by
365:
308:
304:
The transfer veteran student experience: Exploring college choice, transition, and collegiate experiences of veterans
397:
208:
received any improper preferential treatment and have competed fairly for every contract that we have received".
169:
141:
41:
646:
180:
119:
631:
496:
337:
76:(born 1967) is the former CEO of Strong Castle, a defunct information technology company based in
595:
145:
537:
342:
183:
129:
370:
625:
436:
187:
114:
U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School students are formally enlisted in the
616:
134:
108:
115:
464:
398:"Strong Castle CEO charged with first-degree murder in death of his wife"
77:
402:
204:
501:
497:"Loudoun County Man Found Guilty of Killing Wife, Michelle Castillo"
460:"Probe: IRS contractor won up to $ 500 million in questionable bids"
88:
before he dropped out after injuring his ankle playing football.
278:
United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability
177:
United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability
617:
Segment on the Michelle Castillo murder aired on Oxygen TV
160:
IRS contracts and controversy over veteran, HUBZone status
140:
After dropping out of USMAPS, Castillo enrolled at the
672:
Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by Virginia
91:
As of 2024, he is serving a life prison sentence at
432:"Duckworth Slams Man Over 'Prep-School' Disability"
59:
47:
33:
25:
18:
662:American prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment
533:"Kids rip Ashburn CEO for murder of their mother"
196:
8:
567:"Ashburn IT exec appeals murder conviction"
175:Castillo was called to testify before the
144:where he was a linebacker on the school's
15:
425:
423:
421:
105:U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School
86:U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School
38:U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School
261:
259:
257:
255:
253:
249:
667:People convicted of murder by Virginia
560:
558:
556:
527:
525:
523:
521:
519:
392:
390:
388:
331:
329:
327:
325:
657:American people convicted of burglary
490:
488:
486:
484:
482:
296:
294:
194:According to the committee's report:
7:
652:American people convicted of murder
565:Dellinger, Hannah (March 6, 2017).
600:Virginia Department of Corrections
14:
430:Jordan, Bryant (June 27, 2013).
336:Thompson, Mark (June 27, 2013).
458:Cordes, Nancy (June 25, 2013).
366:"The Military Prep School Scam"
338:"Service-Connected Dissembling"
642:University of San Diego alumni
495:Carey, Julie (June 20, 2016).
230:Buckingham Correctional Center
103:Braulio Castillo attended the
93:Buckingham Correctional Center
1:
364:Nocera, Joe (April 8, 2013).
179:, during the course of which
166:Small Business Administration
309:Eastern Michigan University
267:"Questionable Acquisitions"
688:
301:Dunklin, Shaftone (2012).
107:(USMAPS), then located in
637:American chief executives
125:nomination by a dignitary
67:
55:
592:Braulio Marcelo Castillo
170:Internal Revenue Service
99:Early life and education
74:Braulio Marcelo Castillo
20:Braulio Marcelo Castillo
142:University of San Diego
127:. According to a later
42:University of San Diego
201:
51:Information technology
181:United States Senator
120:U.S. Military Academy
571:Prince William Times
596:Richmond, Virginia
541:. December 9, 2016
71:
70:
679:
604:
603:
588:
582:
581:
579:
577:
562:
551:
550:
548:
546:
529:
514:
513:
511:
509:
492:
477:
476:
474:
472:
455:
449:
448:
446:
444:
427:
416:
415:
413:
411:
394:
383:
382:
380:
378:
361:
355:
354:
352:
350:
333:
320:
319:
317:
315:
298:
289:
288:
286:
284:
271:
263:
212:Murder of spouse
16:
687:
686:
682:
681:
680:
678:
677:
676:
622:
621:
613:
608:
607:
590:
589:
585:
575:
573:
564:
563:
554:
544:
542:
538:Washington Post
531:
530:
517:
507:
505:
494:
493:
480:
470:
468:
457:
456:
452:
442:
440:
429:
428:
419:
409:
407:
406:. April 2, 2014
396:
395:
386:
376:
374:
363:
362:
358:
348:
346:
335:
334:
323:
313:
311:
300:
299:
292:
282:
280:
269:
265:
264:
251:
246:
238:
214:
184:Tammy Duckworth
162:
154:
101:
60:Criminal charge
40:
34:Alma mater
21:
12:
11:
5:
685:
683:
675:
674:
669:
664:
659:
654:
649:
644:
639:
634:
624:
623:
620:
619:
612:
611:External links
609:
606:
605:
583:
552:
515:
478:
450:
417:
384:
371:New York Times
356:
321:
307:(PhD thesis).
290:
248:
247:
245:
242:
237:
234:
213:
210:
161:
158:
153:
150:
100:
97:
69:
68:
65:
64:
61:
57:
56:
53:
52:
49:
45:
44:
35:
31:
30:
27:
23:
22:
19:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
684:
673:
670:
668:
665:
663:
660:
658:
655:
653:
650:
648:
647:Living people
645:
643:
640:
638:
635:
633:
630:
629:
627:
618:
615:
614:
610:
601:
597:
593:
587:
584:
572:
568:
561:
559:
557:
553:
540:
539:
534:
528:
526:
524:
522:
520:
516:
504:
503:
498:
491:
489:
487:
485:
483:
479:
467:
466:
461:
454:
451:
439:
438:
433:
426:
424:
422:
418:
405:
404:
399:
393:
391:
389:
385:
373:
372:
367:
360:
357:
345:
344:
339:
332:
330:
328:
326:
322:
310:
306:
305:
297:
295:
291:
279:
275:
268:
262:
260:
258:
256:
254:
250:
243:
241:
236:Personal life
235:
233:
231:
225:
221:
218:
211:
209:
206:
200:
195:
192:
189:
185:
182:
178:
173:
171:
167:
159:
157:
151:
149:
147:
143:
138:
136:
132:
131:
126:
121:
117:
112:
110:
106:
98:
96:
94:
89:
87:
81:
79:
75:
66:
62:
58:
54:
50:
46:
43:
39:
36:
32:
29:United States
28:
24:
17:
591:
586:
574:. Retrieved
570:
543:. Retrieved
536:
506:. Retrieved
500:
469:. Retrieved
463:
453:
441:. Retrieved
437:military.com
435:
408:. Retrieved
401:
375:. Retrieved
369:
359:
347:. Retrieved
341:
312:. Retrieved
303:
281:. Retrieved
273:
239:
226:
222:
219:
215:
202:
197:
193:
174:
163:
155:
139:
128:
113:
102:
95:for murder.
90:
82:
73:
72:
632:1967 births
188:parapalegic
26:Citizenship
626:Categories
576:January 6,
545:January 5,
508:January 6,
471:January 5,
443:January 6,
410:January 6,
377:January 5,
349:January 5,
314:January 6,
283:January 5,
244:References
135:Joe Nocera
109:New Jersey
48:Occupation
274:house.gov
116:U.S. Army
465:CBS News
146:football
78:Virginia
403:WTOP-AM
205:HUBZone
172:(IRS).
602:, 2024
502:WRC-TV
152:Career
148:team.
63:Murder
270:(PDF)
578:2024
547:2024
510:2024
473:2024
445:2024
412:2024
379:2024
351:2024
343:Time
316:2024
285:2024
186:, a
130:Time
628::
598::
594:,
569:.
555:^
535:.
518:^
499:.
481:^
462:.
434:.
420:^
400:.
387:^
368:.
340:.
324:^
293:^
276:.
272:.
252:^
232:.
137:.
80:.
580:.
549:.
512:.
475:.
447:.
414:.
381:.
353:.
318:.
287:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.