Former Attorney Convicted Of Mail Fraud

HAMMOND-Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, Clifford D. Johnson, announced that Robert E. Stochel, age 64, of Crown Point, Indiana was convicted of mail fraud, after a three-day jury trial before District Court Senior Judge Rudy Lozano.

According to documents filed in this case, Stochel, a local attorney, and former Tip Top Supermarket receiver was convicted on a charge of mail fraud relating to a scheme he operated from 2001 to June 2012 against the Tip Top Receivership estate. In his capacity as receiver, Stochel stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from the receivership and then attempted to hide that theft from not only the court that appointed him receiver but also from the receivership’s beneficiaries.

This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Diane Berkowitz, Alexandra McTague and Maria Lerner.

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