Former DuBois Officials Indicted for Fraud

John 'Herm' Suplizio, former city manager of DuBois, and Roberta Shaffer, the city's secretary, have been indicted on conspiracy, federal program fraud, and money laundering charges, with allegations of embezzling over $1.5 million from the city between May 2008 and March 2022. A federal grand jury's superseding indictment expands the original charges to include an additional $700,000 in theft and outlines how the duo allegedly opened secret bank accounts to funnel city funds. The stolen money was reportedly used for personal expenses, including vacation costs and payments to Suplizio's credit card, with many transactions exceeding $10,000, which constitutes money laundering under federal law. Each defendant faces potential sentences of up to 10 years in prison and substantial fines. This indictment follows previous charges initiated by the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General in March 2023, which were later withdrawn in favor of federal proceedings. The case highlights significant financial misconduct within local government.