SHAMOKIN – A Shamokin business owner is facing multiple charges including theft by deception and engaging in deceptive or fraudulent business practices. Northumberland County District Attorney Ann Targonski tells us her office conducted a five month investigation into Anvil Hearing Aid Center in Shamokin after receiving numerous complaints about owner Jerome Lucht.
The investigation revealed Lucht accepted payments from many customers who needed new hearing aids and never applied those payments toward new aids for those customers. Targonski says Lucht took hearing aids from customers who needed repairs and failed to return them to the owner.
Criminal charges were filed on behalf of six Northumberland County residents who collectively lost more than $18,000 to Lucht in the past 18 months. A total of eight charges have been filed against Lucht. (Ali Stevens)