Former Federal Employee Charged With Defrauding Compensation Fund

PITTSBURGH – A McKeesport resident has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of wire fraud, federal employees’ compensation fraud and theft of government money, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

The 10-count indictment named Robert M. Sulesky, 52, as the sole defendant.

According to the indictment, Sulesky was a former, civilian equipment operator for the United States Department of the Army (DOA) who collected wage loss benefits under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act. From Dec. 19, 2007, until July 26, 2012, Sulesky engaged in a scheme to defraud the United States Department of Labor and the DOA in order to receive, and to continue to receive, his compensation benefits at the higher rate reserved for employees with eligible dependents. It was part of the scheme that Sulesky made false and fraudulent statements concerning his marital status. Among the false statements submitted by Sulesky to the federal government as part of the scheme, Sulesky submitted a statement on Aug. 27, 2011 in which he falsely represented that he was married and was living with his wife, knowing that his divorce from his wife became effective on Nov. 21, 2009 and that he was not living with a spouse.

Sulesky faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 for each of the seven counts charging him with wire fraud, a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 for each of the two counts charging him with federal employees’ compensation fraud, and a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 for the one count charging him with theft of government money. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Mary McKeen Houghton is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.