Robert Steuk, 62, of Exeter, New Hampshire, former owner of now-closed Warranty Title in Bedford, NH, was sentenced to 41 months in prison this week. Steuk illegally stole an alleged $1.3 million from the escrow account of a title company he owned and used the money to enrich himself and his family members. After he was caught, he moved to Oregon and set up a business selling jelly and jam.
Steuk pled guilty on Monday to one count of wire fraud in June. Steuk had already been disbarred by the New Hampshire Supreme Court due to his unethical actions in relation to the case.
Steuk was indicted in September, 2009 on charges that he stole up to $1.3 million from his company's escrow accounts. The crime was discovered by Waranty Title's parent company, Chicago Title, in 2007, and the company shut down Steuk's business. An investigation uncovered 19 illicit transfers of from $10,000 to over $100,000 from to his own accounts or the accounts of family members. Using the misappropriated funds he transferred to accounts under his control, Steuk paid himself salaries totaling over $800,000 and his wife Barbara over $500,000 from 2005 until 2007.
After his indictment last year, Robert and Barbara Steuk moved to southern Oregon, where they established Vintner's Kitchen, an upscale food business. They sold alcohol-spiked jams and jellies in flavors such as blueberry-pinot noir jam with licorice; marionberry jam with port; and garlic, and rosemary and chardonnay jelly for $8.95 per 9 ounce jar-- arguably a bigger rip-off than Mr. Steuk's theft from his escrow accounts, although customers reportedly bought these products at that price willingly.
The Steuks reportedly falsely told neighbors and customers that they had made their living as wine-makers in New Hampshire. The Steuks were described as "twinkly sweet" and "teddy-bearish" by Oregon acquaintances.
As part of the plea agreement Steuk admitted to misappropriating a reduced amount of up to $1 million. He claims that he has already repaid a "substantial" portion of the money he stole, but still owes over $930,000 in restitution. He still also faces civil litigation from his former underwriter, Chicago Title, which asserts that it has received at least 40 title insurance claims as a result of Steuk's wrongdoing totaling over $1.4 million.