PHILADELPHIA—Robert G. Wray, 76, of Torrey, Utah, was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for conspiring with a Lehigh County doctor of osteopathy to defraud the Department of Health and Human Service and the Internal Revenue Service. 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. The scheme defrauded the government of hundreds of thousands of dollars. On May 28, 2015, a federal jury found Wray guilty of one count of conspiracy, 30 counts of wire fraud, one count of bankruptcy fraud, and one count of failure to appear.

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” citizen who is not subject to federal laws, including laws regarding personal income taxation. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl ordered restitution and forfeiture in the amount of $519,229.11 ($256,926.11 to IRS and $262,303.11 to HHS), a $3,300 special assessment and three years of supervised release.

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