PHEAA-Related Charges Filed
HARRISBURG - Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced that agents from the Attorney General's Public Corruption Unit have arrested two York County men in connection with an ongoing investigation into bribery and bid-manipulation for printing work and supplies at the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA).
Corbett identified the defendants as Kyle Andrew Becker, 38, 1676 Yorktown Drive, York, a former purchasing agent for PHEAA, and Daniel R. Snyder, 44, 100 Meadow Trail, Dillsburg, owner of DRS Printing Services, of Dillsburg.
Corbett said that as a purchasing agent, Becker was responsible for quotes, bids and contracts for printing and publishing services used by PHEAA. Snyder and his printing business were awarded contracts for various PHEAA printing projects.
"This case is about the manipulation and corruption of the bidding process for personal profit, stealing from an agency whose mission is to fund college education for Pennsylvania's youth," Corbett said. "Trading of inside information for cash and gifts caused PHEAA to pay more than necessary for various printing projects, with Becker and Snyder allegedly enjoying the profits."
Corbett said that between 2005 and 2007 Becker allegedly accepted more than $30,000 from Snyder, including a $10,000 check that was used as the down-payment for a truck. The payments were allegedly intended to keep PHEAA projects flowing to Snyder's printing business.
According to the criminal complaint, Becker would regularly meet Snyder in the lobby of the PHEAA office, where he would allegedly receive envelopes filled with $50 and $100 bills. A search of Becker's bank records from 2005 through 2007 indicate cash payments toward a loan totaling $10,800; deposits in another account totaling more than $36,000; and a receipt for a cashier's check totaling $10,000.
Additionally, Becker allegedly received other items from Snyder, including Penn State football tickets, Hershey Bears hockey tickets, Pittsburgh Steelers merchandise, two rifles, a tree stand and a compound bow. Those items were allegedly exchanged for information from Becker about competitors' pricing for various PHEAA projects, allowing Snyder to submit lower bids and be awarded contracts.
Corbett said that during bidding for one project in 2007, Becker allegedly informed Snyder that he could increase his bid by $20,000 while still staying under the next lowest bid. In return for that information, Snyder allegedly gave Becker the excess profits, making three $5,000 cash payments during meetings with Becker in the lobby of the PHEAA office in Harrisburg.
Becker is charged with one count of bribery, a third-degree felony punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine, along with one count of conflict of interest, an ungraded felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Snyder is charged with one count of bribery, a third-degree felony punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.
Becker and Snyder both surrendered today to agents of the Attorney General's Public Corruption Unit and were preliminarily arraigned before Harrisburg Magisterial District Judge Robert Jennings III. They were released on their own recognizance with a preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 10th, before Magisterial District Judge Jennings.
The case will be prosecuted in Dauphin County by Deputy Attorney General James M. Reeder of the Attorney General's Public Corruption Unit.
Corbett noted that this is an ongoing investigation.
Corbett identified the defendants as Kyle Andrew Becker, 38, 1676 Yorktown Drive, York, a former purchasing agent for PHEAA, and Daniel R. Snyder, 44, 100 Meadow Trail, Dillsburg, owner of DRS Printing Services, of Dillsburg.
Corbett said that as a purchasing agent, Becker was responsible for quotes, bids and contracts for printing and publishing services used by PHEAA. Snyder and his printing business were awarded contracts for various PHEAA printing projects."This case is about the manipulation and corruption of the bidding process for personal profit, stealing from an agency whose mission is to fund college education for Pennsylvania's youth," Corbett said. "Trading of inside information for cash and gifts caused PHEAA to pay more than necessary for various printing projects, with Becker and Snyder allegedly enjoying the profits."
Corbett said that between 2005 and 2007 Becker allegedly accepted more than $30,000 from Snyder, including a $10,000 check that was used as the down-payment for a truck. The payments were allegedly intended to keep PHEAA projects flowing to Snyder's printing business.According to the criminal complaint, Becker would regularly meet Snyder in the lobby of the PHEAA office, where he would allegedly receive envelopes filled with $50 and $100 bills. A search of Becker's bank records from 2005 through 2007 indicate cash payments toward a loan totaling $10,800; deposits in another account totaling more than $36,000; and a receipt for a cashier's check totaling $10,000.
Additionally, Becker allegedly received other items from Snyder, including Penn State football tickets, Hershey Bears hockey tickets, Pittsburgh Steelers merchandise, two rifles, a tree stand and a compound bow. Those items were allegedly exchanged for information from Becker about competitors' pricing for various PHEAA projects, allowing Snyder to submit lower bids and be awarded contracts.
Corbett said that during bidding for one project in 2007, Becker allegedly informed Snyder that he could increase his bid by $20,000 while still staying under the next lowest bid. In return for that information, Snyder allegedly gave Becker the excess profits, making three $5,000 cash payments during meetings with Becker in the lobby of the PHEAA office in Harrisburg.
Becker is charged with one count of bribery, a third-degree felony punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine, along with one count of conflict of interest, an ungraded felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Snyder is charged with one count of bribery, a third-degree felony punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.
Becker and Snyder both surrendered today to agents of the Attorney General's Public Corruption Unit and were preliminarily arraigned before Harrisburg Magisterial District Judge Robert Jennings III. They were released on their own recognizance with a preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 10th, before Magisterial District Judge Jennings.
The case will be prosecuted in Dauphin County by Deputy Attorney General James M. Reeder of the Attorney General's Public Corruption Unit.
Corbett noted that this is an ongoing investigation.
.jpg)
Comments