Former Lancaster village trustee faces insurance fraud charge

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Former Lancaster village trustee faces insurance fraud charge tied to his video game store A former Lancaster village trustee has been accused of making up a burglary at his video game shop on Central Avenue and then filing a fraudulent insurance claim.


But Edward M. Marki is adamant that he is innocent and insists the charges police filed against him late last week are unfounded and says there’s a lot more to the story.


“This has been just ridiculous. The police are trying to defame my name and my character,” said Marki, also a former teacher at area Catholic middle schools.


Marki – who served on the Village Board until last March when he narrowly lost a re-election bid – faces a felony charge of insurance fraud and a misdemeanor count of third-degree falsely reporting an incident. He is accused of reporting that a burglary occurred at his store last Sept. 25 and then reporting the alleged break-in to his insurance company, claiming a loss of more than $2,000 worth of video game systems and accessories.


Lancaster police are saying very little about the case.


Police Chief Gerald J. Gill Jr. refused to give out any reports about the incident or Marki’s arrest report without The News first filing a Freedom of Information Request.


Marki, 44, a lifelong Lancaster resident, said he is furious with the Police Department, insisting his arrest stems from political motivations because he lost his re-election bid for village trustee in last year’s elections and that there are behind-the-scenes police connections to the issue.


Gill did not return phone calls Thursday. Marki’s attorney, former town attorney Richard J. Sherwood, also refused to comment, said a secretary who answered his office phone.


“It’s outrageous that police are charging me,” Marki said in a phone interview from his shop. “I’m innocent, an exemplary student, Eagle Scout, a teacher ... It’s very upsetting to me.



PS - If Marki is correct in his assumptions - he picked the wrong attorney !

[Lee Chowaniec]

Looking at all the players involved and the timing of the event this could turn out to be a hoot.

[gorja]

Marki used to be my neighbor. He seemed to be a great father to his little girls at that time. I remember one time, his father-in-law Roy Schneggenberger was putting up a tent for one of the girl's birthday party and was locked out of the house and had to come to borrow my phone. That's when I was informed about the goings on in Lancaster