Suspect arraigned in attempt to cheat Bedford Area School District of $1.6 million
Reckert faces 15 charges
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An Indianapolis man accused of bilking the Bedford Area School District out of more than $1.6 million has been arraigned on 15 charges Tuesday after being extradited from Indiana state.
Terry Michael Reckert, 70, faces four felony counts each of forgery and accessing a device to obtain property, two felony counts of theft, a felony count of receiving stolen property and four misdemeanor counts of records tampering. He was remanded to the Bedford County Correctional Facility in lieu of $500,000 bail.
The case was filed against Reckert after he allegedly posed as the owner of a Blair County construction firm working on the district's high school renovation project. The school district has recovered the full amount of $1,648,656.19, according to the state police report.
The theft went unnoticed until district officials were contacted by the construction firm asking about payment for recent work the company completed on the building project. This inquiry, made on July 9, spurred the investigation, as the district's financial records show the payment by check was sent on June 17. In addition, records show the check had been deposited on June 22 into a bank in Indianapolis located about four minutes from Reckert's home, the report states.
Reckert had used his own name, signature, personal address, Social Security Number, date of birth, phone number and email address for the account in which he deposited the district's check. Due to the investigation, the check was withdrawn and the money was returned to the school district. Indiana state police issued an arrest warrant for Reckert on July 30 and he was taken into custody on Aug. 3, police reported.
Reckert is scheduled for a preliminary hearing today in front of Magisterial District Judge Kevin R. Diehl.