Skip to main content
Press Release

Allentown Man Charged With Making False Statements To HUD

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Pennsylvania

     The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced the filing of a Criminal Information today against David Unterberg, age 52, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, alleging that he made false reports and statements to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 

     According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, the Criminal Information alleges that between May and December 2010, Unterberg submitted invoices seeking and receiving reimbursement for expenses and wages related to two conferences that he falsely claimed to have attended which were paid for by HUD funds. At the time, Unterberg was the owner of a firm known as Community Programs Incorporated (CP), which provided services to the Borough of Tamaqua, Schuylkill County, in connection with a federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG).

     The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, and the Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General. Prosecution is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney John Gurganus.

     Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

     A sentence following a finding of guilty is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

     In this case, the maximum penalty under the federal statute is one-year of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

Updated April 9, 2015