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GFWC-West Side promotes education/literacy at Dana Street School

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Teen girls wanted for robbing 2 cabbies, 2 tourists in eastern Pa. crime spree

<p>SCRANTON &#8212; The United States Attorney&#8217;s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Wednesday charged Richard J. Morgan, 54 of Shavertown, with embezzling more than $428,000 from his company.</p><p>According to U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Morgan owned and operated Wilkes-Barre Bookkeeping LLC, a Shavertown-based business that provided payroll services to its clients.</p><p>Morgan was charged on Tuesday with one count of bank fraud and one count of interfering with the administration of the internal revenue laws.</p><p>Morgan has agreed to a plea agreement and could face decades in prison, the news release states. The tentative plea agreement filed in U.S. Middle District Court in Scranton calls for Morgan to admit to the crimes and pay full restitution, but it does not include a sentencing deal. The agreement notes the crimes carry a penalty of up to 33 years in prison and a $1.25 million fine.</p><p>The plea agreement is subject to approval by U.S. District Judge James M. Munley. A date for his initial appearance has not been set.</p><p>The information alleges that Morgan was contracted to pay employee payroll and salary expenses, to file IRS Form 941 Employer Quarterly Federal Tax Returns, and to remit employment tax liabilities to federal, state and local tax authorities for two of his clients.</p><p>Morgan allegedly failed to file the IRS Forms 941 and to remit the employment taxes to the appropriate authorities for two clients, instead embezzling the funds for his own personal use. The information alleges that between Dec. 13, 2011 and Sept. 16, 2014, Morgan embezzled $305,756.30 from one client, and that between Jan. 7, 2015, and Oct. 14, 2016, Morgan embezzled $54,607.65 from another.</p><p>The information also alleges that Morgan served as a treasurer for an entity and was tasked with selling its assets and winding up its operations when it closed in February 2010. Between March 16, 2010, and Dec. 9, 2014, after paying a client&#8217;s outstanding liabilities, Morgan allegedly embezzled the remaining residual sales proceeds of $68,172.</p><p>The information further charges that when the IRS investigation began of Morgan&#8217;s activities, he took steps to obstruct the investigation. Between May 28, 2013, and Aug. 28, 2014, the government charges that Morgan allegedly made misrepresentations to IRS employees, claimed to be working with fictitious IRS employees to resolve the matter, and provided the IRS with altered bank statements and accounting records to conceal his embezzlement.</p><p>The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo is prosecuting the case.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Shavertown man charged with embezzling $428K