Two former executives of Circle System Group, based in Easton, PA, are
facing federal fraud charges for allegedly defrauding schools, colleges and
youth sports programs in northern New Jersey. Mitchell Kurlander of
Allentown, PA, and father-in-law Alan Abeshaus of Highland Beach, FL,
were to appear in federal court in Newark Wednesday afternoon.
According
to a report in the Associated Press, a complaint from the U.S.
Attorney’s Office claims the two men used Circle System Group to
double-bill schools, inflate invoices and draw up fake bids from other
companies.
The men face multiple mail- and wire-fraud counts, each punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Abeshaus, 79, was the former chief executive officer of Circle Systems, while Kurlander, 52, was previously its chief financial officer.
Circle System Group’s former president, David Drill, pleaded guilty in December 2008 and agreed to help investigators.
