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Press Release

Hobart Man Sentenced and Ordered to Pay over $300,000 in Restitution

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Indiana
For Participation in Wire Fraud Scheme

HAMMOND – Kirk E. Stroh, 46 years old, of Hobart, Indiana, was sentenced by District Court Judge Joseph S. Van Bokkelen on his plea of guilty to one count of wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.

Stroh was sentenced to 5 months imprisonment followed by 7 months of supervised release. Stroh was ordered to pay $327,438.50 in restitution to the victim, and a $160,000 money judgment forfeiture. 

According to court documents, between July 2012 and March 2015, Stroh helped co-defendant Lucy Owens embezzle over $300,000 from a local freight services company where Owens and Stroh’s wife were employed. At the time, Stroh was employed by a rival trucking company. Stroh used a stolen fuel card, provided by Owens, to obtain over $300,000 in cash advances at fuel stations, which he split evenly with Owens.

Owens, who was convicted by a jury of seven counts of wire fraud in May, is scheduled to be sentenced on November 8, 2018.

This case was investigated by the Hammond Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Abizer Zanzi and Nathaniel Whalen.

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Updated September 19, 2018

Topic
Financial Fraud