Akron Man Sentenced For Stealing FEMA Grant Funding Intended For Education Expenses

CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Richard A. Lobur, 55, of Akron, NY, who was convicted of theft of government money, was sentenced to 18 months’ probation by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The defendant will also pay $39,182.92 in restitution to FEMA.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John D. Fabian, who handled the case, stated that on January 12, 2015, the defendant deposited into his account at the Bank of Akron, $18,000 of grant funds intended to be used for educational expenses for his children. The funds were administered as part of a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant.

Between January 12 and June 9, 2015, Lobur provided $15,000 of the grant funds to his children, but also converted more than $1,000 of the remaining $3,000 to his personal use. The defendant knew that he was not entitled to convert the grant funds to his own personal use and he knew that the intended and lawful use of the funds was for educational expenses for his children.

The money was used for, among other things: payments on a Yard Card, Discover Card, and FIA Card, which were used to buy a truck, lawnmower and camper, and a payment to Akron Mobile Home Park.

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John Tiano, Detroit Field Office; the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Geoff Wood; and the New York State Comptroller’s Office, under the direction of New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.  

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