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Defendant Name, Crime, State Year
Tampa, FL – A federal jury has found Richard Lilliston, 70, of Brooksville, Florida, guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States and making false statements to the Social Security Administration. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Lilliston, former CEO of the Hillsborough Achievement and Resource Centers (HARC), was convicted of orchestrating a scheme to divert client funds from the organization’s Endowment Account to the HARC operating account. The funds were intended for developmentally disabled clients, including those with Alzheimer’s disease and Down syndrome.
According to court documents, Lilliston began working at HARC in 1997 and became the CEO. He and others created a scheme to misappropriate client funds, which were meant to be used solely for the benefit of the clients. Lilliston directed HARC employees to secure signatures from the developmentally disabled clients on a document backdated to 2007, titled ‘Pooled Trust Joinder Agreement.’ The clients who signed the document did not have the capacity to understand its importance.
The scheme was uncovered in November 2011, when the HARC Board of Directors discovered that Lilliston had taken an additional $10,000 in salary and allotted himself a car allowance of $1,850 per month. Lilliston was terminated from his position as CEO.
In June 2013, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a Verified Complaint for Forfeiture in a related case, seeking the forfeiture of $87,000 held in a Synovus Bank account. The complaint raised similar allegations that HARC clients’ SSA benefits had been wrongfully diverted from the clients and used by HARC for other purposes. On September 30, 2013, the district court entered a Default Judgment of Forfeiture, ordering the forfeiture of the $87,000 to the United States.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, along with the State of Florida’s Department of Financial Services – Office of Financial Investigations.
Lilliston’s conviction is a significant blow to the organization and its clients, who trusted him to manage their funds and provide for their well-being. The case highlights the importance of accountability and transparency in organizations that handle sensitive and vulnerable populations.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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