Ex-Tishman Accountant Faces Jail Time, Fine

A former project accountant for the New York-based Tishman Construction Corp. faces prison time and a large fine for embezzling millions of dollars from the company with forged invoices.

A statement issued yesterday by the New York County District Attorney's Office described how 47-year-old John Hoeffner spent more than two years submitting false work invoices to Tishman while on a construction project at Yeshiva University's Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Hoeffner would alter paychecks issued for the fake invoices, changing the name of a legitimate company to the nearly identical name of one he owned, or adding his last name to checks so he could cash them.

Hoeffner pled guilty to depositing more than 100 falsified checks, thus stealing $2.8 million from Tishman. He faces between 7 and 14 years in prison and will pay nearly $1.5 million in restitution. He will be sentenced on September 17.

The District Attorney's Office said in the statement that an auditor for Tishman discovered the fraud in a project review.

In January, Hoeffner was sentenced to probation and community service for stealing $400,000 from the construction company Bovis Lend Lease.