Unity man on trial, accused of bilking vendors for daughter's wedding

A Unity man is on trial this week, accused of bilking vendors hired for his daughter’s wedding reception.

Testimony is expected to begin Tuesday in the trial of Joseph A. Malago, 51. He’s accused in four separate cases, including three incidents in which he is accused of forging bogus checks to pay for items.

Some of the alleged thefts include more than $20,000 in services provided for his daughter’s nuptials Sept. 19, 2020, in Hempfield Park.

According to court records, police said Malago signed checks he created to draw funds on a fictitious account and had his wife pay a caterer, the owner of a supply company and hotels. He also is charged with theft, forgery and bad checks for incidents at a Shop ’n Save store in Latrobe and at a local bank also during the same time frame.

Jury selection began Monday, and opening statements and testimony are expected to begin Tuesday in the trial, which is expected to take about four days.

In a separate case, Malago is charged with illegal possession of nine weapons. Police said they raided Malago’s home Sept. 29, 2020, and found guns, which they claim he was not legally allowed to possess because of prior felony convictions.

In another case, authorities said Malago wrote out a fake check for $66,212 in June 2022 to purchase a recreational vehicle from a dealer in Adamsburg. According to court records, Malago fled the state but was arrested two weeks later in Georgia.

Common Pleas Judge Tim Krieger on Monday ruled evidence related to the purchase of the recreational vehicle cannot be introduced into evidence as part of Malago’s trial on the earlier cases. That case is pending.