Former elected official to stand trial, accused of stealing nearly $100K from Washington Co.

WASHINGTON CO., Pa. — A former Washington County clerk of courts is headed to trial after being accused of stealing nearly $100,000 from defendants.

The attorney general’s office is prosecuting the case against Frank Scandale. They said defendants in the county who were trying to pay their court costs actually helped break the case.

Scandale faced a judge Wednesday on felony theft charges. In November 2019, he pleaded not guilty, but he waived his preliminary hearing and will head to trial.

The investigation into Scandale began after an audit on the clerk of courts office found missing deposits that added up to more than $96,000.

Investigators said the deputy clerk of courts told them she told Scandale about 18 missing deposits in March. He said he assumed the deposits would work themselves out and didn’t alert the bank or investigate. Investigators then interviewed his employees, who said Scandale was routinely the only person who took the deposits to the bank.

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His employees told investigators he never questioned or told any of them about the missing money.

Prosecutors said the defendants in Washington County started realizing the money they were paying for their court costs was disappearing. One man said he made a $200 payment, only to find out it was “voided” by Scandale and only $100 deposited.

That man, along with a dozen other defendants, saved their receipts -- which led to Scandale’s arrest.

Scandale lost in the November election and is no longer the clerk of courts.

Clark Howard: Identity Theft Clark Howard: Identity Theft

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