HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) -
A former Pennsylvania State Police employee was charged today of stealing more than $30,000 from the state by diverting fictions reimbursement checks into his own bank account, court documents say.
Investigating officer, Lieutenant Andrew Wenger, wrote that the former employee, Scott Frederick, 42, of Mechanicsburg admitted to the crimes during two separate interviews.
"Frederick stated that he did this because he was broke and didn't have money to live or pay bills," Wenger wrote in his affidavit.
State Police say Frederick, who was a civilian employee working as director of the Fiscal Division for the Bureau of Staff Service, created fraudulent invoices and altered court subpoenas in order to cut checks to fictitious retired troopers so they could be reimbursed for court appearances that never took place.
The situation was discovered in May when a commanding officer received notice that a check was cut to a retired trooper in his squad. The problem? No trooper by that name had ever worked for Troop C.
After the initial report, Wenger uncovered altered subpoenas and 24 fictitious checks that Frederick allegedly generated. All but one of the checks was deposited into Fredrick's bank account after he forged the signatures of fictitious former state employees.
Frederick was terminated from his job in June for forgery and theft.
State Police say Frederick would intercept the checks before they were sent out to fictitious former employees. All but one check was supposed to be sent to a nonexistent post office box.
He allegedly deposited $30,587.52 in checks between October 2011 and May 2012
Frederick had been employed by the state police since December 2005. He has been charged with 23 counts of forgery for signing checks over to himself that were made out to fictitious former troopers. He was also charged with 24 counts of tampering with records for altering 24 court subpoenas. In addition, he was charged with one count each of theft by deception and receiving stolen property.
Magisterial District Judge James Lenker released Frederick on $20,000 unsecured bail.
