Superseding Indictment Filed Against Former Majority Lackawanna County Commissioner Robert C. Cordaro and Commissioner Anthony J. Munchak

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that a federal grand jury sitting in Scranton has returned a 39-count superseding indictment charging former Lackawanna County Majority Commissioner Robert C. Cordaro, age 49, of Dunmore, Pennsylvania, and Commissioner Anthony J. Munchak, age 64, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, with racketeering and related charges in connection with alleged improper actions of the former Majority Commissioners in accepting payments and other benefits from individuals and entities doing business with Lackawanna County.

The original indictment was filed on March 16, 2010. According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, the Superseding Indictment alleges that the defendants engaged in racketeering, fraud, extortion, bribery, and federal tax violations and that they received hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal payments and other benefits. In addition to those charges Robert C. Cordaro faces additional charges of money laundering and conspiracy. The Indictment also seeks forfeiture of all proceeds of the charged criminal activity from both Defendants.

Both Cordaro and Munchak had previously been indicted on substantially the same charges. The superseding indictment was presented due to changes in the application of the Federal Honest Services statute resulting from a recent Supreme Court ruling.

This Indictment is the result of a joint investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service’s Office of Criminal Investigations. Prosecution has been assigned to Assistant United States Attorneys Lorna N. Graham and William S. Houser.