SRS subcontractor indicted for fraud 10/22/2009 8:21 PM By MIKE GELLATLY Staff writer
A former Aiken resident who worked at the Savannah River Site as a subcontractor on the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility has been indicted for fraud.
Joseph Ralph Lohre Jr., 46, was charged in a three-count indictment with theft of government funds and two counts of making false statements.
The indictment alleges that between March 2006 and May 2008, Lohre falsely claimed eligibility for housing benefits through a program administered by the National Nuclear Security Administration, the federal agency overseeing the MOX project, and that as part of his fraud, he submitted falsified documentation to support a claim that he owned a permanent residence in Fort Mitchell, Ky.
At the time, Lohre was working as an engineer contractor at SRS.
The maximum penalty he could receive is a fine of $250,000 on each count. He could also receive up to 10 years of imprisonment on the theft of government funds count and five years on each of the two false statement counts.
The case was investigated by agents of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Inspector General, and has been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean A. Eichelberger of the Columbia office for prosecution.
Contact Mike Gellatly at mgellatly@aikenstandard.com.
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Comment Title:
Let's all ignore the fact that he could be missing a comma in his opening sentence.
Posted by: tired of bigotry in Aiken On: 10/23/2009
Comment Title: to the guy who doesn't like Mike Gellatly
I don't know Mike Gellatly and don't care to. But you MR BIG SHOT saying he is bias are a BIGOT..... So what he is from across the ocean. He has a right to live anywhere he wants. Get over yourself.....get a life. Just enjoy the paper or don't read it.
Posted by: On: 10/23/2009
Comment Title: Mike Gellatly is a flaming idiot!
Wow... Mike Gellatly has become infamous for turning no name stories into politically biased spins. And for some reason he has a bias against this MOX project. I think I can speak for the rest of us when we say, Mike skip your happy ass on back across the ocean to England and stop write stories about our country!
Posted by: On: 10/23/2009
Comment Title:
Well considering that we are losing jobs like a cancer patient losing weight, what can you do unless you provide them with an opportunity to better themselves?
Posted by: On: 10/23/2009
Comment Title:
What about all these 3rd and 4th generation welfare receipiants who live in goverment housing and drive new cars with handicap stickers hanging in the rear view mirror while the tax payer feeds their 5 kids who have different daddies. How about that fraud. Ooops can't touch that in fearing of being marked as a racist.
Posted by: FormerWorker On: 10/23/2009
Comment Title: SRS Fraud
You single out one little engineer to use as a scapegoat to deflect the real issues of fraud & abuse. What about all the crooks that got to retire & still pay & benefits. It's like the cops picking up a kid for smoking marijuana. Find the REAL story out there.
Posted by: James B. On: 10/23/2009
Comment Title: Good Sign
I think that it is proof that the government is regulating and monitoring it's spending accordingly. I don't think that it tarnishes the MOX Project in any way. If anything I feel assured that those still working on the project are in good standings with their regulators.
Posted by: On: 10/23/2009
Comment Title:
from skimming the article, i assumed he took the money from SRS
Posted by: Andrew On: 10/22/2009
Comment Title: This is news?
I fail to see why this reporter feels the need to bring SRS into this. Because someone HAPPENS to have worked at the Site over a year ago, MOX becomes the focus of the article?
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