By Mary Pickels
The Pittsburgh Tribune Review
UNIONTOWN, Pa. — Months after being reinstated to the position of chief of Uniontown’s fire department, Myron Nypaver, 45, was charged Friday with felony counts of theft and insurance fraud after allegedly bilking more than $20,000 from the city in fraudulent unemployment claims.
His wife, Lisa Nypaver, 41, faces those and additional charges, all filed with Uniontown District Judge Michael Metros.
The charges were filed by Steven G. Kontaxes, a captain of the Perryopolis Police Department and detective supervisor with the Fayette County District Attorney’s Office Drug Task Force.
Calls to the Nypavers, who reside at 76 Bryer Ave., Uniontown, last night were not returned.
Myron Nypaver won an arbitration award that returned him to the position of chief in September. He was laid off Dec. 31, 2009, and returned to work on March 6, 2010. At that time, he was receiving a weekly salary of $1,086.
According to a criminal complaint, Kontaxes said District Attorney Jack Heneks assigned him to conduct an investigation after Uniontown officials discovered they were being charged for unemployment insurance claims for Nypaver while he was working for the city.
In November, Lisa Nypaver told Kontaxes during an interview in her home that she filed the false claims on her computer. Upon Myron Nypaver’s arrival, he stopped his wife in mid-conversation and stated that he was with her when the claims were filed.
Information from the state Department of Labor and Industry indicated Myron Nypaver was issued a state debit card to receive and withdraw unemployment funds.
When confronted by a Labor and Industry investigator in November, Myron Nypaver allegedly denied filing for additional benefits after returning to work in March. He claimed he destroyed his debit card. Records show his personal identification and password were used to file regular weekly fraudulent unemployment claims totaling $20,169 between March and Oct. 2.
Bank photographs show Lisa Nypaver using her husband’s debit card to withdraw funds from cash machines three times in three days in October.
Yesterday, Uniontown Mayor Ed Fike expressed dismay at the charges.
“This is something our legal counsel will have to answer,” he said, when asked about Nypaver’s status with the fire department.
“If this is all true, I’m very, very disappointed. It’s certainly beyond my comprehension,” he said.
Fike said the city pays 100 percent of unemployment claims at a rate of 75 percent of salary.
The alleged theft occurred as the city tried to right several years of rocky finances.
“Have you heard the old story of kicking somebody when they’re down?” he said yesterday.
Fike said he anticipated an immediate meeting with council and its solicitor.
“It does need to be attended to immediately, if not sooner,” Fike said.
Contacted later in the evening, Fike said no decision had been reached, and council had been advised by its attorney to refrain from further comment.
Lisa Nypaver is additionally charged with access device fraud, along with the previous charges, in an unrelated case.
Kontaxes said Catherine Attaway-Leonardo hired Lisa Nypaver to work for her company, ALICO Service Ltd., on Oct. 28 until she was “terminated for cause” on Jan. 3.
Attaway-Leonardo learned on Jan. 3 that her company checking account was overdrawn, and that the account was charged with 11 forged checks totaling $5,922.15. Each check was written to Lisa Nypaver, the complaint stated, and had been forged with Attaway-Leonardo’s signature. A company credit card also was fraudulently used to purchase an iPod for $222.98 on Dec. 22 and to pay a Verizon bill for $895.20 on Dec. 14.
Upon being confronted, Nypaver apologized to Attaway-Leonardo and said she needed help.
Myron Nypaver is free on signature bond. A condition indicated that all firearms be removed from his residence and turned over to the proper authorities.
He faces a preliminary hearing Tuesday before Metros.
A warrant has been issued for Lisa Nypaver’s arrest.
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