Jury Finds Snow Removal Business Owner Guilty of Fraud and Money Laundering

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - After deliberating for one day, a federal jury found Charles W. Lantzman guilty of 5 counts of wire fraud and 3 counts of money laundering, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Lantzman, 51, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was tried before United States District Judge William S. Stickman in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The evidence presented at trial established that Lantzman defrauded customers of his snow removal business by billing them for services that were never performed. Lantzman made three mortgage payments in excess of $10,000 using the proceeds from the fraud.

Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for August 11, 2025. The law provides for a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain from the offense, or both for each of the wire fraud counts, and a sentence of up to ten years in prison and a fine on the money laundering counts. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorneys William B. Guappone and Kelly M. Locher prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

The Internal Revenue Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Lantzman.