Fired YPD officer accused of defrauding company of nearly $2.5 million
AKRON, Ohio - A former Youngstown Police Officer who was fired from the force for shoplifting is now charged with mail fraud related to a scheme to defraud a North Canton company out of nearly $2.5 million.
The U.S. Attorney's office says Peter J. Luchansky, 60, of Canfield 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.
Luchansky has agreed to forfeit certain property obtained as a result of the false and fraudulent invoices including cash, jewelry appraised at $43,940, 2009 Corvette, 2007 Lexus, 2000 Harley Davidson motorcycle and 108 firearms.
In addition, Luchansky previously submitted funds totaling over $2 million to be used as restitution to the victims in this case.
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.
Luchansky has signed a document waiving his right to prosecution by indictment by a grand jury and instead is being prosecuted through a legal process known as an information.
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