United States of America v. William D. Brenner

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343 and unlawful monetary transactions in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1957.

Reported by: Kent Morlan

William D. Brenner, age 62, allegedly defrauded an elderly victim, who was born in 1936, of over $1 million by persuading her and her power of attorney, who was also the alleged victim’s daughter, that he could offer them a better investment opportunity than what the elderly woman already had in place. The alleged victim and her power of attorney were led to believe that the funds would be placed in an investment account, which Brenner would personally manage and would earn fixed interest payments over a two-year period. In reality, Brenner then used the funds to purchase a commercial property in his own name, without the victim’s lawful authorization.

Brenner also allegedly forged an agreement that appeared to show the elderly woman and her power of attorney authorizing him to use the money to purchase the commercial property, which is located in Caneyville, Kentucky. Brenner allegedly created this forgery by using authentic signatures that he obtained from the elderly woman and her power of attorney on a different document.

Brenner allegedly obtained control of the elderly victim’s retirement savings by persuading her and her power of attorney to move the funds into an account at a local federal credit union where he was a board member and where he maintained accounts in the names of other businesses. That account was created in August 2021. Once the funds were in that account, Brenner allegedly used them for his own and his family members’ benefit. By September 2021, Brenner allegedly depleted almost all of the funds from the account.

Brenner is charged with several counts of monetary transactions in criminal derived property for use of the elderly woman’s funds. In addition to buying the commercial property, Brenner allegedly purchased a new Dodge Ram pickup truck, a skid steer, and other tools and motorized equipment.

The indictment also contains forfeiture allegations, including for the commercial property located in Caneyville, Kentucky.

The maximum penalty for wire fraud is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The maximum penalty for monetary transactions in criminally derived property is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.