Source: US FBI
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on July 25, 2025, to violating federal forgery laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Michael Brandon Cohen, 41, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines to two counts of forging the signature of a United States District Judge.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, in 2022, Cohen was licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Cohen was retained to represent a victim in a civil lawsuit against a healthcare company, and informed the victim that he filed the lawsuit on the victim’s behalf in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania; however, Cohen never filed the lawsuit.
On May 18, 2022, and October 13, 2022, Cohen sent the victim fake court orders purportedly issued by Chief United States District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Matthew W. Brann in the victim’s favor against the healthcare company. The orders awarded the victim monetary sanctions and fees and bore the electronic signature of the Chief Judge. Chief Judge Brann never issued the orders and, therefore, did not authorize his electronic signature on the orders. Rather, Cohen forged Chief Judge Brann’s signature on the fake orders in an effort to authenticate their legitimacy to his victim client.
Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for November 18, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Carl J. Spindler and Mark V. Gurzo are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Cohen.