A former employee of the New England School of Law found himself in legal hot water as he faced a courtroom yesterday. The IT specialist, Gareth Flanagan, 52, is facing charges of larceny after accusations emerged that he used his employer's Amazon account for personal gains, totaling nearly $70,000, as reported by WHDH. The alleged misappropriation of funds occurred between 2020 and 2022, prosecutors indicated during the proceedings
Flanagan had the authority to make purchases up to $5,000 without the need for further approval due to his role within the institution. An external auditor was brought in by the New England School of Law, which uncovered the missing funds. The former IT specialist had reportedly been purchasing music equipment for his band, which played at local venues. Flanagan was dismissed from his position in October 2022, shortly after the financial discrepancies came to light, as stated by WHDH.
The investigation revealed that Flanagan's expenditures were largely for equipment that served no apparent purpose to the law school. "The items were clearly music-related and had no function for the New England School of Law," prosecutor David Bradley was quoted as saying in the WHDH report. Flanagan's defense suggested the purchases were akin to a form of testing. "Most of the material ... remained unopened, in their boxes in his attic or basement and he returned a lot of the items, maybe not all of it, but a lot of them," defense attorney Ben Brooks said in court, as noted by WHDH.
Attorney's Office, such as Flanagan being the director of a band named 'Sloth Machine.' This discovery adds another layer to how the funds were deployed over the time in question. According to an NBC Boston article, investigators have noted that while some of the purchased items were returned to the school, the full inventory has not been accounted for. Flanagan, who was held on $1,000 bail and ordered to steer clear of the school premises, is scheduled to make another court appearance on September 9, 2024.
Details surrounding the case continue to unfold, but what is clear is that Flanagan's actions have cast a shadow over his years at the New England School of Law. His attorney has indicated Flanagan's mental health has been significantly affected by the allegations and ensuing legal challenges. "After this happened, he has suffered from serious mental health decline as a result of his anxiety about what would happen," Brooks conveyed to the court, according to WHDH. As the judicial process trudges forward, the repercussions of this case for Flanagan and the institution he once served remain to be seen.
