Federal Investigation of Schools

March 30, 2010

Intellacom linked to mail fraud charge

Source: Man in Philly-area scheme got equipment from Plains Twp. firm tied to NEPA school district probes.

By Terrie Morgan-Besecker tmorgan@timesleader.com
Law & Order Reporter
Terrie Morgan-Besecker on Facebook   |   @TLTerrieMorgan on Twitter

SCRANTON – An official with a Philadelphia area college said a former employee who was charged with accepting kickbacks from a computer vendor obtained the equipment from Intellacom Inc., a Plains Township business that’s been connected to investigations in several area school districts.

Dan Mortensen, vice president of finance for Valley Forge Christian College in Phoenixville, said the employee, Craig Stirling of Drums, was fired in January from his position as director of information technology after he voluntarily advised the school he was involved in the scheme.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office on Monday charged Stirling, 37, with one count of mail fraud. The complaint says Stirling conspired with another person to inflate the price of technology equipment sold to the college. Stirling was then paid a kickback based on the inflated price.

The crime is identical to a scheme federal authorities say was perpetrated against the Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center by former employee Jeffrey Piazza.

The complaint in the college case does not identify the person with whom Stirling conspired. But Mortensen confirmed the company involved is Intellacom.

Mortensen said he believes the purchases were related to computer equipment, but he does not know the amount of money involved. He said he knows Stirling “had a relationship” with Intellacom, but he is not sure what that exact relationship was.

In a press release issued Monday, U.S. Attorney Dennis Pfannenschmidt confirmed the Valley Forge case is related to the corruption probe in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The release provided no further details regarding that connection.

Stirling’s attorney, Elizabeth Lippy of North Wales, said Stirling has signed a plea agreement with prosecutors. The agreement had not been publicly filed as of Monday evening.

Lippy declined to discuss specific details regarding the case, other than to confirm it involves people from Luzerne County.

“He is a small piece to a big puzzle,” Lippy said.

Federal authorities have previously taken records related to Intellacom from several other school districts, including the Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center, Pittston Area, Wyoming Valley West and Luzerne County Community College.

In the career center case, prosecutors say Piazza, who previously worked as technology coordinator, conspired with another person, who is not named, to inflate the price of technology equipment. In exchange, he received kickbacks.

Piazza was scheduled to be sentenced today, but U.S. District Judge James Munley on Monday issued an order postponing it until Wednesday. The order does not say why the sentencing was continued.

Intellacom is owned by Anthony Trombetta, a local real estate developer who also owned the defunct restaurant Portafinos, where Piazza had worked part time. Trombetta has not been charged with any wrongdoing. He could not be reached for comment Monday.

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