PITTSBURGH, Pa. (WKBN) — An indictment unsealed Thursday in federal court charges five Shenango Valley with defrauding a Sharon non-profit medical organization.
Named in the 17-count indictment are Drew Pierce, 55, of West Middlesex; Mark Marriott, 56, of Sharpsville; John Laeng, 70, of West Middlesex; John O’Brien, 60, of Masury; and Christopher O’Brien, 58, of Masury.
The charges in the indictment, which was filed in the U.S. Court for The Western District of Pennsylvania, include conspiracy to commit mail/wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and mail fraud.
Pierce, Laeng and John and Christopher O’Brien were arraigned Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cynthia Reed Eddy and all four pleaded not guilty. They have been released on $100,000 unsecured bond each.
Court records do not list an arraignment for Marriott.
The five are accused of defrauding more than $2 million from 2011 to 2019 from Primary Health Network in Sharon through a series of different schemes.
The indictment in the case said the company was defrauded by “high-ranking PHN officers and employees who sought the funds for their own personal benefit.”
The indictment said the defendants would submit fake invoices to companies for goods or services to even though the companies did no work.
Marriott was the facilities administrator for PHN and Laeng was the Chief Executive Officer of PHN from 2011 to 2014. Pierce was the Chief Financial Officer for PHN from 2011 to 2014 and was then CEO until 2020.
John O’Brien controlled a telecommunications company while Christopher O’Brien controlled a general contracting company.
Some of the defendants were part owners of companies that did business with PHN but those companies had no employees.
Marriott and Pierce are also accused of doctoring PHN’s financial records and having PHN employees perform labor for them for personal reasons while on company time.
The government is seeking over $2.2 million in restitution as part of their case.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.
