September 29, 2014

Utah Man Charged with Assisting Lehigh County Doctor in Defrauding Government Agencies

Robert G. Wray, 75, of Torrey, Utah, was arrested on Friday on charges that he conspired with a Lehigh County doctor of osteopathy to defraud the Department of Health and Human Service and the Internal Revenue Service, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. The indictment alleges that the fraud scheme amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Wray is charged with one count of conspiracy, thirty counts of wire fraud, and one count of bankruptcy fraud.

According to the indictment, Wray uses many different names for himself in an attempt to evade federal and other laws by arguing that he has not been properly identified in legal documents. Wray also claims to be a “sovereign” who is not subject to federal laws, including laws regarding personal income taxation. It is further alleged that Wray conspired with Dr. Dennis Erik Fluck Von Kiel, of Macungie, Pennsylvania, to help Dr. Von Kiel evade a six-figure debt he owed to HHS for unpaid medical school loans and avoid paying personal income taxes to the IRS. Dr. Von Kiel, charged separately, is scheduled for trial in December 2014.

If convicted of all charges, Wray faces a maximum possible sentence of 610 years’ in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $8 million, and a $3,200 special assessment.

The case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigations and the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark B. Dubnoff.

An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.