A federal grand jury has indicted West Point fencing coach Robert Grieser for allegedly pocketing about $170,000 in military academy funds in a fraudulent invoicing scheme.
Grieser, of Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, pleaded not guilty to one count of wire fraud, March 10 in U.S. District Court, White Plains.
He is accused of playing two sides of financial transactions: As head fencing coach asking the academy for funds, and as volunteer treasurer of the United States Association of Collegiate Fencing Clubs receiving the funds and issuing checks.
Grieser submitted funding requests to the academy to cover the costs of fencing tournaments sponsored by the association, according to a 2019 criminal complaint.
But the requests were for nonexistent events, the complaint states, during summers when cadets were not in training, and for amounts far greater than the less than $1,000 typically charged for the annual championship tournament.
From 2012 to 2018, West Point paid the association $175,804, or 34 times more than any other university.
In 2016, for instance, West Point paid the association $33,000. The director of the association told FBI agent Peter Guerriere that he knew of no reason why the academy should have paid that much; he described the sum as “totally outrageous.”
Shortly after the checks were deposited in the association”™s bank account, Grieser allegedly wrote checks on the association”™s account to himself. He generally used the funds for personal expenses, according to Guerriere”™s probable cause affidavit, and “rarely, if ever ”¦ for purposes related to West Point”™s fencing team.”
Grieser was initially arrested in October 2019, released on a $100,000 appearance bond co-signed by his sister, and ordered to reside with his sister.
Since then, federal magistrate judges have granted 17 continuances requested by government prosecutors and Grieser”™s attorney, to allow time to explore a possible resolution for the case.
The original complaint accused Grieser of theft of government funds. The indictment charges him with wire fraud and narrows the time of the alleged scheme by two years, from 2014 to 2018.
In 2012, Grieser received the Coach K Competitive Club Athletics coaching award, named for West Point graduate and legendary Duke University basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski. It is awarded to athletes and coaches who demonstrate “outstanding commitment to the development of noble character through athletic participating and leadership.”
