Canfield man going to prison for $2.5 million fraud
AKRON, Ohio - A former Youngstown Police Officer who was fired from the force for shoplifting is headed to a federal prison for scheming to defraud a North Canton company out of nearly $2.5 million.
Peter J. Luchansky, 60, of Canfield appeared in U.S. District Court in Akron on Monday, where he was sentenced to three years and two months in prison after agreeing pleading guilty to mail fraud.
Federal prosecutors say Luchansky the crime occurred when he was employed as an information technology manager with a large medical practice in North Canton.
Beginning in 2005, the government says he formed two Ohio companies with registered mailing addresses in Ohio. From 2005 until July 2014, Luchansky used the companies to bill the medical practice for computer equipment and services.
In turn, the medical practice paid Luchansky's companies for invoices submitted by Luchansky and his companies. The medical practice was the only customer of Luchansky's companies, according to information from investigators.
Prosecutors say Luchansky fabricated the invoices and the amounts for payment for services and equipment that he did not provide in order to obtain money from the medical practice.
Through the submission of the false and fraudulent invoices of the companies, Luchansky allegedly defrauded the medical facility of at least $2,486,028.
To make restitution, Luchansky forfeited a check in the amount of $2 million, $3,600 in currency, $43,940 in jewelry, a 2009 Corvette valued at $21,000, a 2007 Lexus valued at $17,000, a 2000 Harley Davidson motorcycle valued at $6,800, and 72 firearms consisting of various pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, and assault rifles
The FBI arrested Luchansky at his home on Steeplechase Drive in Canfield in September following the filing of a criminal complaint.
And affidavit that was filed with the original complaint says that Luchansky was employed as a Youngstown Police officer until he was fired from the force in 1983 for stealing two bags of shrimp from a grocery store.
After Luchansky completes his prison term he’ll be placed on probation for two years.
