Schuylkill coal man accused of scams

By Chris Parker

The Morning Call

March 06, 2008

A Pottsville man bilked people and three businesses -- including one in Tamaqua -- out of about $200,000 worth of real estate, mining equipment and coal, police say.

Joseph M. Nebroskie, 35, was arraigned Tuesday before District Judge Charles Moran of Pottsville on six separate criminal complaints charging theft by unlawful taking or disposition; theft by deception, deceptive or fraudulent business practices; and defrauding secured creditors.

He was released on $60,000 unsecured bail.

According to state police Cpl. Leo Luciani at Frackville barracks, Nebroskie between July 24, 2005, and April 28, 2007, entered into business deals with Donald Rosini of Shamokin; James Chistakoff and Michael and Rosemarie Neidlinger, all of Branchdale; Thomas Sweigert of Llewellyn, and Valley Technologies of Tamaqua; J&J Demolition and Salvage of Dunmore; and Village Automotive of Gratz.

In the Valley Technologies matter, Nebroskie allegedly entered into an agreement with owner Jerry Petrole on Sept. 15, 2006, to deliver 4,800 tons of coal from a mining operating in Cass Township by Nov. 30, 2006, police said.

According to state records, Nebroskie owns Cassel Coal Co., Pottsville.

Petrole paid Nebroskie $120,000 for the coal, in advance. But by January 2007, Nebroskie managed to deliver only 767 tons. He also sold another 174 tons to someone else for $6,070, police said.

Nebroskie failed to return the remaining $100,825 Petrole had paid him for the coal that was not delivered.

In the Rosini/Village Automotive scam, Nebroskie received a $30,000 loan from Rosini on July 7, 2006. Nebroskie had pledged an piece of coal mining equipment, an excavator, as collateral.

To do that, a lien of an undisclosed amount was placed on the equipment and filed with the state Department of State. The excavator stayed at a Cass Township mining site.

But on April 28, 2007, Nebroskie sold the excavator for $4,000 to John W. O'Connor, owner of J&J Salvage. He provided a sales agreement saying the equipment was free of liens.

O'Connor found out about the lien, and asked for his money back. Nebroskie failed to return it, police said.

Further, on August 8, 2007, Nebroskie sold the diesel engine to the excavator for $750 to Matthew Solt, owner of Village Automotive. Solt removed the engine from the excavator, rendering it useless.

chris.parker@mcall.com 610-379-3224

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