United States Attorney David Metcalf has announced the sentencing of Ahmed Hassan, a 71-year-old resident of Collegeville, Pennsylvania. Hassan was sentenced to 64 months in prison and three years of supervised release for defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of over $500,000. He is also required to pay $565,058.70 in restitution, with an initial payment of $150,000 due within 30 days, and a special assessment fee of $2,200.
Hassan was indicted in April 2021 and convicted by a federal jury in October 2024 on 22 counts of wire fraud. The charges stemmed from his misuse of his position at the VA Medical Center in Philadelphia to embezzle funds through fraudulent invoices.
As a supervisory engineer responsible for mechanical and HVAC systems at the Medical Center, Hassan exploited his role by submitting false invoices from a shell company he established with Lynn Hanrahan. Hanrahan had no expertise in HVAC or mechanical systems but assisted Hassan in defrauding the VA.
Between 2013 and October 2017, Hassan fabricated work orders and submitted them under HT Mechanical’s name to receive payments through the VA purchase card program. These payments were then returned to him by Hanrahan either via check or cash.
U.S. Attorney Metcalf commented on the case: “Fraud against the government hurts us all… Today’s sentence shows that criminals who cheat the U.S. government will pay for it, in the end.”
Special Agent Christopher Algieri from the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office stated: “This sentencing demonstrates that those involved in defrauding VA… will be held accountable.”
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and the FBI. The prosecution team included Special Assistant United States Attorney Megan Curran and Assistant United States Attorney Mary E. Crawley.
Hanrahan faced charges related to this scheme as well; she pleaded guilty and received her sentence on January 8, 2025.
