This week, on November 3, Ariel Legassa, a Connecticut man, was convicted by a federal jury in Boston of defrauding his former employer, New England Sports Network (NESN), out of over $500,000. His deception, beginning in early 2021, raises serious concerns about the accountability of individuals within organizations reported by U.S. Department of Justice.
Legassa initiated his scheme in December 2020, which ran until January 2022 when he was apprehended and indicted by a federal grand jury. The trial's evidence showcases Legassa's deceit and his creation of a fake business to defraud NESN of over $500,000, in accord with the DOJ.
In early 2021, Legassa negotiated a contract with a New York company for web development services, on behalf of NESN. Simultaneously, he created a fraudulent counterpart of the vendor to siphon NESN's funds into his "company." During the contract, Legassa managed to get eleven fraudulent invoices from his company approved, resulting in $575,500 being transferred into his fraudulent account.
Post Legassa's conviction, Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, made statements that highlight the importance of vigilance in law enforcement and due process stated by the DOJ.
