Media, PA- District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer today announced that Dory Sater, 45, of Drexel Hill, and Eric Stankiewicz, 35, of Secane, had been arrested and charged with multiple counts of felony theft and related charges for their respective roles in a large-scale fraud.
“These two defendants worked in concert to defraud a hardworking Delaware County business – CAPP/USA – of over $100,000. In doing so, these defendants threatened the Delaware County business community and the workers they employ. Financial crimes result in increased prices and increased uncertainty for all business owners. This crime is even more reprehensible given that defendant Sater is an attorney and has been recently prosecuted and convicted in a fraudulent financial scheme. It is clear that he needs to be stopped – and we hope to do so with the current charges,” said DA Stollsteimer.
Defendant Sater, an attorney, was previously convicted in November 2020, following a jury trial, of federal bank fraud and aggravated identity theft offenses. His license to practice law was suspended in October 2018.
In the present case, the Clifton Heights Borough Police Department received a theft report from CAPP/USA, a business located at 201 Marple Avenue, Clifton Heights. The witness reported that a long-time employee, defendant Eric Stankiewicz, had generated unauthorized sales receipts, purchase orders, and credit card payments. An investigation by Sergeant Stephen Brown of the Clifton Heights Police Department and Detective Edward Silberstein of the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) revealed that, after creating the fraudulent purchase orders, defendant Stankiewicz made fraudulent payments using the CAPP/USA credit cards, thereby funneling money through online credit card processing systems “Square Inc.” and “PayPal” to companies known as Esquire Specialty Parts and Rhoads Vintage. In all, the investigation determined that defendant Stankiewicz made thirty such fraudulent transactions from December 2019 and through March 2020, totaling $102,017.57.
Through further investigation, it was determined that the business known as Esquire Specialty Parts was owned by defendant Sater and it received 27 of the fraudulent payments directed from CAPP/USA by defendant Stankiewicz, totaling $95,591. And, the fraudulent transactions directed to the business known as Rhoads Vintage were directed to defendant Stankiewicz himself. Using a different “Square Inc.” account, defendant Sater then filtered $40,000 of the ill- gotten gains back to defendant Stankiewicz.
“I want to thank the Clifton Borough Police Department, particularly Sergeant Brown, Detective Silberstein of CID, and Deputy District Attorney Douglas Rhoads for their hard work on this case. Financial fraud strikes at the vitality of our communities and, as criminals evolve their methods for the 21st century, we are there waiting for them,” said Stollsteimer.
The District Attorney and the Criminal Investigations Division remind anyone in Delaware County who observes suspicious activity to call 911 immediately and provide the most specific and accurate details possible to assist law enforcement agencies investigating the call for service.
CRIMINAL CHARGES, AND ANY DISCUSSION THEREOF, ARE ALLEGATIONS AND ALL DEFENDANTS ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNLESS AND UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY.
Contact: Margie McAboy, Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, 610-579-0429.