Fired Shenango Twp. treasurer charged with stealing $800K in office

Associated Press

NEW CASTLE, Pa.

The fired treasurer of a western Pennsylvania township has been charged with stealing nearly $800,000 from taxpayers during his 14 years in office.

Forty-nine-year-old Brian Tanner of New Castle surrendered Wednesday as Lawrence County District Attorney Joshua Lamancusa announced more than 500 counts of forgery and theft-related crimes against Tanner. Defense attorney David Acker says Tanner is cooperating with authorities.

Lamancusa’s office previously had obtained search warrants for Shenango Township records that suggest there were $1.2 million in questionable expenditures. So far, Lamancusa said nearly $800,000 has been determined to be illegal.

Tanner was fired from his $57,000-a-year job as secretary/treasurer in July. That’s when auditors determined he wrote more than 200 checks worth more than $453,000 to himself and a township auditor — who also has been fired — from 2011 to 2013.