Sounds like this is what you are referring to:

Ex-hospice controller from Whitehall must repay $660,000 (from the Pittsburgh Trib)

On this site, you can talk about local headlines and post a link to articles online. It's when a person hasn't been officially charged with something that concerns are raised about users making accusations on the site. Thanks for posting, and please contact us here if you ever have questions about the site.

Well, seems to me that this man was "charged" with a crime, a pretty serious one, at that. And, he ADMITTED to doing the same so he must repay the entire amount stolen and serve the little time he was given in federal prison.

So there were no false accusations made that should keep this from being talked about in the local paper where this thief resides with his family. I took the liberty of inserting the article from the Trib for the readers' convenience.

Ex-hospice controller from Whitehall must repay $660,000
By The Tribune-Review
Saturday, February 9, 2008

The former financial controller at Family Hospice and Palliative Care in Mt. Lebanon was ordered in federal court Friday to repay more than $450,000 he admitted embezzling from the organization.
Kenneth C. Gerst Jr., 44, of Whitehall also was ordered to repay $210,000 he embezzled from Collins Nursing Home on Baum Boulevard in Pittsburgh's Friendship neighborhood.

Chief U.S. District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose sentenced Gerst to 37 months in prison for his conviction for theft or embezzlement from a health care benefit program.

Prosecutors said Gerst was the hospice controller from September 2002 until January 2006.

They probably didn't write anything because they couldn't start the sentence,DYTKO 47.

There is always selective writing when it comes to S H R and not only for the bad news but when do you ever really read an article with something wonderful that was done. The bulk of thier community news reporting is based on who butters their side of the bread. Either you are liked or your black balled and hated.

It is a shame that an organization based on helping people who are dying from cancer should have money stolen from them because of vanity and greed. The sad part of this is how long will it take for these people to repay it back, or does the insurance cover this?

Thanks for your great words! I stopped paying attention to the PTA after I stopped paying dues and, get this, when my kids were at the elementary schools several years back I came in to do a lot of volunteer work in the schools; reading, field trips, parties, etc. I was even home room mother several years because no one (not even anyone on the PTA) would be a home room mom for a few teachers. But, the kicker is, I was told several times I "was not permitted to come in to do volunteer work" because I did not belong to the PTA nor pay dues. How do you like that? I told them to basically kiss my behind - I AM A PARENT AND A TAXPAYER!!

Does anyone know anyone who works for the IRS that can be contacted to inform them of this couple who need to pay income taxes on the $660,000.00 they had in their possession? I'd be glad to make the call.

Reminds me of the former tax collector/treasurer for Baldwin Township that "allegedly" closed the bank accounts for the township. He never had to pay it back because the township explained to its residents that "we have insurance to cover these kinds of things". Yup, and his family lived high on the hog for a while before he was caught. But they are smart in a way - they rent the home in which they reside in Baldwin Township so there could be no liens, etc. Well, he went to law school and so did the ex-wife who still lives there with her live in boyfriend and her kids. Guess they know how to play the game!

My biggest concern is the children who are OBVIOUSLY innocent of any wrong doing.

As for retribution and sentencing, Federal Court has already addressed these issues according to Federal Sentencing guidelines. I am quite sure this is not the first case they have had related to embezzling.

Also,*BWSPORTSFAN* I would have to think your restitution plan might (I don't have access to their finances so I am not sure) be a little off. I assume the family has a mortgage on their house (I have not checked, but I am sure you could check on the county assessment website.) therefore selling something you don't really own for $200,000 probably won't work. Also, I wonder if the vehicle is paid off.

Guilt is obvious due to the guilty plea. My question is why do we feel it is so important to slaughter this FAMILY publicly. Why those children were spared more humiliation by being lucky enough not to have their friends read about this in the newspaper we will never know. Why you all feel the need to make sure it happens really leaves me wondering whoit is that wants to make sure these kids hurt more???

I hope my children are never in a situation that their parents have failed them, as I live in the district and now see what they are surrounded by.

It is completely unreasonable how this blog has started and continued with responses by imusfan and bwsportsfan. I am sure that both the post gazette and trib combined have a more far reaching and loyal reader base than the south hills record. To complain that a story that will do nothing but cause more grief and pain to a family who has to live in this sad situation was not printed is just plain mean-spirited. 3 years in prison is not a joke. It has been mentioned that the children are not at fault, but you want to make sure that the local community is clear about what occured. Who has anything to gain from that? Imusfan and BWsportsfan sound like petulant children jealous of a woman who perhaps was not their favorite in the community. I'm sure these rantings are no more than jealousy of jewelery, clothes and vacations. I'd love to know what you guys are driving. I have a feeling it's not a old nova by any means. I'm sure that this woman would have gladly missed out on these things to not have her entire life dragged through the coals. To watch her husband go to jail and have to live with explaining this situation to her children must be a horrible thing to have to do. And, to make fun of a family name with the children still having to live in this community is an outrage. You should truly be ashamed of yourselves. Thanks to careaboutthekids for trying to place a different outlook on this blog. Hopefully there are more people in the community like you.

Oh please, spare me! Why shouldn't this story make the news, the local news especially. It is not any of us bringing shame to the family or the kids, it in reality is the guilty thief and his wife. And I find it hard to believe she never suspected anything. She really is not that naive.

Perhaps Mr. Gerth should have thought before he acted to save his family the shame and embarrassment. Like the commercial on TV with the man driving his teenage daughter in the car - he is trying to talk to her, she seems to hate him. It is a commercial for insurance fraud and how it can not only ruin the guilty person's life but devestate the person's family's lives. This man did not care probably because he felt he would not be caught.

Oh I feel bad for the kids in this family. I felt bad for them before this ever came to light. But even more now. It is a shame that anyone could do this to their own children.

No I am not jealous of Mrs. Gerth. I drive a nice car that I work hard to pay for. I have a modest house that I can afford. I live within my means. I am not a high maintenance person like Mrs. Gerth. I do not need the jewels, shoes and clothing like she does.

This story is local news and we as the public have a right to know what is going on. If you don't want to read it or hear about it, bury your head in the sand again.

At this point I'm sorry that I even gave any of this a bit of my time. imusfan is just bitter. nothing that anyone posts will change your bitterness. it will just eat you like a cancer from the inside. Once this passes you will find someone or somthing else to ruminate on. you enjoy other's pain. I'm not saying that wrong doing does not deserve punishment, but to continue to want to rub someone's nose in it is just childish. To continue the hateful posts is just worsening the pain for the family involved. it's senseless. And, you are correct. It is not worth coming back to this post, and I won't. I can only encourage others to drop it as well. No one has anything to gain from your hatred. I can only pray for you and hope that you can find a more positive situation to put your energies into. God Bless!

First of all. . . thanks to all of you who are so worried about the kids You did a good job of distracting others from the real points of the postings by imusfan and myself . . . at least for a moment. Mr. G should have thought about the effects on his children a LONG, LONG time ago!! And that's all i'm going to say on that matter.

And as far as continuing this blog here -- i consider it a first amendment right and a predominantly adult forum where neighbors can discuss current events and voice their opinions about such matters. Just because we disagree doesn't make anyone wrong or a lesser person. I hope some of you don't fall off of your righteous soap boxes any time soon in the process of defending someone you probably don't even know.

I really don't care if I see this article on the front page of the SHR -- you all totally missed the point. I have known folks who have committed far lesser crimes and have had their names plastered all over the SHR. My point was that sometimes there is really isn't much fairness in what the SHR chooses to include and what they don't -- selective publishing, that's all.

And for those of you who are questioning the motives behind this public slashing . . . first of all, why does stating a negative opinion about someone's actions immediately make me bitter, childish and jealous? I have know this family for many years and have been on the butt end of Mrs. G's mean snobbery more times than I can count . . . and it certainly doesn't make me feel any of those things -- bitter, childish or jealous. Quite the contrary -- it's always made me feel kind of sorry for her that brand names and vacation plans were so important to her. I wouldn't want to be like Mrs. G for anything in the world.

Since you're curious, I live with my husband and children in a modest home in the district that we are working hard to pay for, and I drive an 8 year old car that I paid for with my own hard-earned money. I'm not a very material girl, so items like jewelry, clothes, vacations and fancy cars don't mean much -- especially when they're flaunted like status symbols. I can't imagine wanting those things if it would come with such a price!

And PLEASE tell me you're kidding about her being the state PTA treasurer?!?!

I never picked up on that selective publishing vibe from the SHR, BWSportsfan. And I’m not entirely sold on your statement that you’ve known “people” who have committed far lesser crimes and had their names appear in the paper either. Every time I hear that tired line from folks – the old “I know someone” routine – they’re usually referring to themselves. Maybe you’ve graced the paper’s police blotter, or got into a public pissing match with someone and didn’t come out looking too good on the other end, or had a kid whose names wasn’t mentioned in the honor roll listings. Or maybe you just like to moan. Just sounds like there’s something else there is all.

Hey BWSportsFan - Looks like we have ruffled some feathers here because we had the nerve to bring up this news of a local person and his criminal acts and voiced our opinions. Shame on us, huh? But if anyone looks - this is the most read blog on the site right now.

Don't you love it when you post the truth and those who disagree with you have to ASSume that you are just bitter and jealous or someone who did something much less and gotten more publicity. I will never understand it.

Doesn't anyone realize the seriousness of this crime? That is why it is so important that the story be out there. This wasn't a few dollars lost from bad bookkeeping - this was over a half million dollars STOLEN. I feel so strongly about this theft/embezzlement because of who the victims actually were. Mr. G took (I am being nice here) the money from Family Hospice - a company that provides services to DYING people and their families. They provide the services for FREE if the family cannot afford the help. They do an excellent job - I engaged their services for a dying relative in 2005. How can anyone with a conscience take even a dollar from them? And the other victim was a nursing home - just as bad.

What is wrong with anyone who can't see what is wrong here? Yes, once again, it is a shame that there are kids who may suffer something from this whole thing. As a parent, I feel bad for them. However, as a parent, I realize that my actions will have consequences on my children and family. If he is sorry for anything, like I said, he is sorry he got caught.

I am not and have never been jealous of the wife here. Actually a part of me feels bad for her. Her life should change now. I feel bad that, if she truly did not know, that her husband could have brought this shame to her and her family. And, on the other hand, I feel bad that, if she did know, she made the bad decision to go along with it and that shows her character.

These kids will be fine. It's a good thing that they have all of you who are so concerned - their parents (at least their father) didn't seem to care about the ramification to them.

I'm definitely not whining. It's probably more like just winging it :)

It's been very interesting to see the ruffled responses here and be part of one of the most-read blogs ever on SHR! I especially like the folks who have chosen to defend the SHR (why?) and have made personal attacks and assumptions about me personally. This is not about me! I have not yet managed to do anything to get my name in the paper or get in any public pissing matches.

I would like to refer readers back to my original question/comment: I'm also wondering exactly how long they have to repay the money. Are they required to liquidate their personal assets or is there some level of protection for those things?

With those questions I was hoping to launch a more intelligent exchange about the due process of such legalities. I thought maybe a fellow blogger may have had some level of experience or legal knowledge and be able to explain the process. It seems that we're having difficulty rising to such a level of intelligent conversation.

And to you, Dear Walter84 . . . with reference to your final sentence: Just sounds like there’s something else there is all. YES!! There is!! Like IMUSFAN, I'm outraged at the seriousness of the crime -- stealing a HUGE sum of money from DYING people -- all in the name of VANITY and GREED!! Aren't you?

I agree with the sum of your concerns, BWSportsfan, but you got a little off topic in only your second posting, and took a swipe at a paper's "selective publishing," which I don't know truly exisits. That's all. I'm all about being outraged over egregious acts, but let's know what were raging against.

Okay Walter84 I have looked up "whinging". Here is the definition for all of us:

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This whinge (hwĭnj, wĭnj) Pronunciation Key
intr.v. whinged, whing·ing, whing·es Chiefly British
To complain or protest, especially in an annoying or persistent manner.

Hmmmm, maybe I am complaining or protesting. Too bad.

I know, just as BWSportsfan knows, what we are "raging against". I am "raging against" the fact that somehow this important story about a local resident missed the local newspapers. I would bet that if this man or, let's say his wife or one of his kids had done something spectacular (in their minds) that particular story would be most likely front and center on the local front pages, or at least page 2 or 3. You may feel different about this, but I feel that the community members have a RIGHT to know about these things.

Too bad there is not a really good investigative journalist at these local papers who could research the story further. Like BWSportsfan, I want to know how long they have to repay the STOLEN funds. Do they begin making payments on the STOLEN money now or when Mr. G gets out of prison?

BWSportsfan, I am betting there is some level of protection for them, unfortunately. Don't you wonder where such a huge amount of money went? You wonder if it is all spent or if there is some tucked away. Do you think they were smart enough to invest in something the feds can't touch?

I think an investigative reporter like Marty Griffin on KDKA could do a great job on this. He is usually repulsed by a story like this - where a greedy person steals money intended for sick and dying people for whatever reasons. He likes to see justice done. Let's forward the story to him or, do you know who might like to tackle this?

Please remember that only one person was convicted of this crime. Alluding to anything other than that would be considered defamation & libel. Nobody else was ever charged or convicted.

Don't worry - I had no intention whatsoever of having the "innocent" parties looked into. Only the "guilty" person should be investigated and, if an investigation turns up anything else, then it should proceed from there.

Thank you!