Federal indictment: DuBois former city manager used waste contract cash to pay his credit cards, feds say [View all]
Spotlight PA link: https://www.spotlightpa.org/statecollege/2023/11/dubois-pennsylvania-herm-suplizio-conspiracy-fraud-federal-charges/
HARRISBURG Federal authorities on Thursday arrested and charged Herm Suplizio, the suspended city manager of DuBois, with conspiracy and other crimes. They allege that he diverted hundreds of thousands in taxpayer dollars into secret bank accounts, which he then used to underwrite personal vacations, pay his utility bills, buy jewelry, and shop at department stores.
The citys former administrative secretary Roberta Shaffer was also charged, according to a statement by federal authorities.
Federal prosecutors allege that beginning as early as 2008, Suplizio and Shaffer used the citys tax identification number to create secret bank accounts. They then diverted city money into those accounts, including about $60,000 in fees that DuBois was supposed to receive under its waste management contract with a private company.
Prosecutors allege Suplizio and Shaffer made large cash withdrawals from these accounts, wrote checks to themselves and others, and obtained cashiers checks with themselves listed as payees. The two also allegedly spent more than $450,000 from the accounts toward payments on Suplizios personal credit card.
- more at link -
Spotlight PA has been on this story since earlier this year. Suplizio has looked shady for a long time, and the Feds' investigation has led to charging him with fraud, conspiracy and other crimes.