PITTSBURGH -- Overcharging for airline fees and clients being charged more than actual costs was the basis of testimony on Wednesday in the federal trial of a former Allegheny County coroner.

Reporter Bob Mayo Has Your Update

Dr. Cyril Wecht, who has led inquiries into the deaths of Elvis Presley, JonBenet Ramsey and Vincent Foster among others, is accused of using his government staff as bookkeepers, secretaries, couriers and gofers for his family and his private pathology practice.

Prosecutors said Wecht, 76, illegally used the county workers to cut costs in his private practice, which grossed nearly $9 million from 1997 through 2004. He never made more than $64,000 a year as county coroner.

Wecht's former coroner's office secretary could offer no explanation for examples of what prosecutors said are fake invoices she sent out, overcharging Wecht's private clients for travel expenses.

The evidence includes case after case of American Express credit card and US Airways records documenting the real air fares and invoice after invoice, charging Wecht clients, hundreds, sometimes thousands more.

Prosecutor Jim Wilson asked witness Eileen Young "did Dr. Wecht ever come back and say, 'I charged too much for the flight?'"

Young said, "No."

Later, Young was asked, "Did Wecht ever come back and say, 'Whoops, Eileen, we overcharged the client by $300?'"

Again, Young said, "No."

Prosecutors had Young describe her conversation with Wecht, telling him he should charge his clients more for his limo trips to and from the airport. The problem, prosecutors said, was that the trips were fake and he rode in a county car.

Young testified she can't remember who made the decision to charge more.

Wecht's former assistant acknowledged making her handwriting look different on two different parts of the fake invoices she sent to clients. She said she followed the example of Wecht's previous secretary.

"Did it ever occur to you that was a practical way of deceiving your client?" she was asked.

Young answered, "Yes."

"Was that a way to make the clients believe different people were involved in filling out the invoices?" she was then asked.

"I'm ashamed to admit," she said. "I realized what I was doing. Nobody made me do it. I felt Dr. Wecht was worth it. Nobody's perfect. I'm sorry."

Testimony is scheduled to continue on Thursday.

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