BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The U.S. Attorney's Office announced that 30-year-old Dejan Karlovic of Amherst, who was convicted of theft of funds related to a government program, was sentenced to serve three months in prison, ordered to pay restitution totaling $584,884.99, and forfeit a BMW, a pickup truck, and more than $240,000 in cash and financial accounts.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, between January and March 1, 2024, Jericho Road, which operates the Jericho Road Community Health Center, received more than $10,000 in federal grants and funding. Karlovic was employed as a Senior Grants Accountant and acted as a liaison between the program and finance side of Jericho Road. Karlovic had access to several Jericho Road commercial credit cards and other financial accounts.
Investigators said that between March 1 and June 26, 2024, Karlovic stole or intentionally converted $584,884.99 that belonged to Jericho Road by submitting fake invoices from a company called “D and D” and made them appear as expenses related to moving and relocation, a service Jericho Road provides to its clients. Karlovic then paid the fake invoices using a Jericho Road commercial credit card.
Karlovic pleaded guilty to the theft in January before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy.
In July 2024 we spoke to leaders at Jericho Road about the theft.
"After an internal investigation, our team notified law enforcement and financial institutions of what seemed to be financial malfeasance," said Dr. Myron Glick, Founder and CEO of Jericho Road.
Glick said it would not impact the work they do, and the team was putting policies in place to make sure it doesn't happen again.
