Middle District of Pennsylvania Recovers Over $8.6 Million in Civil and Criminal Cases

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania has reported a significant collection of $8,601,498 in civil and criminal actions during Fiscal Year 2025. This total is comprised of $7,245,806 from criminal cases and $1,355,692 from civil matters. Furthermore, the office, in collaboration with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and Department of Justice components, contributed to collecting an additional $599,066 in jointly pursued cases.

The U.S. Attorney’s Offices play a crucial role in enforcing and recovering debts owed to the federal government and restitution to victims of federal crimes. These debts can stem from criminal fines, felony assessments, and civil liabilities. The law mandates that defendants provide restitution to victims who have experienced physical injury or financial loss due to federal crimes. While restitution payments are directly allocated to victims, criminal fines and assessments are deposited into the Department of Justice’s Crime Victims Fund. This fund then distributes the collected money to various federal and state victim compensation and assistance programs, providing vital support to those affected by crime.

Several notable collections illustrate the scope of the office’s work. General Dynamics Ordnance Tactical Systems, Inc. (GD-OTS) paid $838,125 to resolve allegations concerning the production of shell bodies that did not meet contractually required phosphate testing frequencies. GD-OTS took prompt corrective action and disclosed the issue, leading to a settlement. In a separate civil matter, Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania, PC paid $790,000 to settle False Claims Act allegations. The company was accused of submitting improper claims to Medicare for Evaluation & Management services that did not comply with Medicare rules and regulations.

The office also successfully recovered funds in cases involving illegal activities impacting federal programs. Adam Rashwan and his former spouse, Mervat Gharib, who owned Capital City Family Market in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, were ordered to pay restitution totaling approximately $1,091,922.05 for illegally trading SNAP benefits for cash. Rashwan has paid a total of $680,523.57 towards this restitution, which includes a payment made by Gharib. Additionally, Florentina Mayko, formerly the chief executive officer of medical clinics, was ordered to pay $1,409,076.48 in restitution and forfeit several properties. Mayko was found to have conspired to defraud Medicare by submitting claims for medically unnecessary urine drug tests for chronic opioid patients. She has so far paid $859,139.79 towards the restitution amount.

Beyond these specific cases, the Middle District of Pennsylvania’s collaboration with partner agencies and divisions resulted in the collection of $1,488,197 in asset forfeiture actions during FY 2025. Assets recovered through forfeiture proceedings are deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund. These funds are instrumental in compensating crime victims and supporting a range of law enforcement initiatives, thereby contributing to public safety and the administration of justice.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Pennsylvania

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