Commonwealth v. Phillip Hummel:  On April 8, 2015, Phillip Hummel, 70 years old, plead guilty to one count of felony forgery and one count of felony theft before the Honorable Scott A. Evans.  Hummel was long-time friends with the victim in the case, who now resides in Susquehanna Township.  In 2011, due to the deteriorating health of the victim, Hummel was appointed power of attorney over the victim’s financial accounts.  Hummel did ensure that the living expenses of the victim were covered by the funds, however, Hummel admitted during his plea that he used a significant portion of the victim’s funds for his own benefit.  The account discrepancies were first noticed by the victim’s family who brought it to the attention of the Susquehanna Township Police Department, where Detective Lee Tarasi acted as lead investigator.

                The son of the victim testified in court that the theft had a significant impact on his father because his father is now concerned that he will not have enough money to cover his expenses for the rest of his life.  Senior Deputy District Attorney Jack Canavan stated that this case was not one of a “bloodless” corporate embezzlement but rather one where the victim trusted his longtime friend to look after his best interests and, instead, Hummel used the money, in large part, for his own entertainment and living expenses.  The Commonwealth and counsel for Hummel, Brian Perry, agreed prior to the hearing that the range of restitution was $50,000 to $150,000.  Judge Evans is reviewing the documentation that was submitted and is expected to make a ruling on restitution in the near term.