Commonwealth v. Grife

OLSZEWSKI, Judge:

Following a bench trial, Barry Grife was convicted of one count of attempted theft by deception,1 and three counts of theft by deception.2 Post-verdict motions were denied, and Grife was sentenced to three concurrent five-year terms of probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $9,100 to the complainant, the Honorable Alan Silberstein.

Grife, a real estate broker, appraiser, and title insurance agent in the Philadelphia area, borrowed $10,000 from Shoppers Publication, Inc. (Shoppers). This loan was to be secured by a mortgage of $11,800 granted to Shoppers on…