Jeffrey Nazarian, a former UMass Lowell student, stood before a judge, accused of funneling over $70,000 from his late professor's state pension. On the heels of an extensive joint investigation, Nazarian's list of charges include forgery, larceny, perjury, and uttering as he faced arraignment in Salem Superior Court.
According to the official press release, the grand jury handed down the indictment last December, after evidence surfaced that Nazarian had been skimming pension payments, intended for the deceased professor, John Hamer, from January 31, 2019, through June 31, 2020. Officials allege that not only did he tap into Hamer's bank account for personal gains, but he also went as far as forging checks, and state documents to maintain the costly charade.
The deceit unfolded tragically after Hamer passed away on January 30, 2019. Investigators claim that Nazarian capitalized on this death to pay off credit card balances with the illicit funds, perpetuating Hamer's existence on paper while pocketing his pension. Nazarian reportedly forged Hamer's signature across nine checks from the professor's bank account and on a vital document from the State Retirement Board which falsely certified that Hamer was alive and eligible for continued pension disbursements.
Nazarian's alleged actions have cast a grim shadow over the sanctity of the state's pension system, and yet, despite the weight of the charges, he remains innocent in the eyes of the law, presumed as such until, or unless proven otherwise.
