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Former Prison Doctor Charged with Financial Aid Fraud
A superseding indictment has been filed against Dennis Erik Fluck Von Kiel, the former medical director of Lehigh County Prison, on charges of financial aid fraud and tax evasion. The indictment alleges that Von Kiel, 58, of New Tripoli, PA, engaged in a series of illegal schemes since 2001 to evade creditors, including the IRS and the Department of Health and Human Services.
According to the indictment, Von Kiel used his position to lie on applications to the Department of Education for financial student aid for four of his children, enabling them to receive more than $36,000 in federal Pell Grants for their college educations. The indictment also alleges that Von Kiel tried to file a fraudulent claim for social security disability benefits by falsely claiming that he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Von Kiel is also accused of conspiring with others to evade federal taxes and attempting to defeat the IRS. The superseding indictment contains 11 new counts, including corruptly endeavoring to interfere with the due administration of the Internal Revenue Code, knowingly failing to file tax returns, wire fraud, perjury at a bankruptcy proceeding, and mail fraud.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, the FBI, and the Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark B. Dubnoff.
Von Kiel has been held without bail at the Federal Detention Center since his arrest on February 28, 2014. His trial is scheduled to begin on September 10, 2014, before the United States District Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl.
If convicted, Von Kiel faces a maximum possible sentence of 108 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $2,895,000, and a $1,700 special assessment.
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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