A 38-year-old Rhode Island man is accused of defrauding a Massachusetts nonprofit that helps entrepreneurs, in line with police who say he purchased 142 Apple laptops as an worker and stole most of them.
Jonathan Alexander Mateo, of Riverside, R.I., is going through prices for defrauding MassChallenge, and he’s anticipated to look in court docket this month for the pc theft scheme, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden introduced on Monday.
While working at MassChallenge between October 2020 and September 2022, Mateo allegedly bought 142 Apple laptops utilizing the group’s American Express card.
When MassChallenge carried out an audit in March, the nonprofit might solely account for twenty-four of the computer systems. MassChallenge then tried to contact Mateo, who had left the nonprofit, and so they couldn’t join with him.
The worth of the lacking computer systems is estimated at over $100,000.
Suffolk DA investigators are trying into the likelihood that Mateo used proceeds from the alleged MassChallenge thefts to pay restitution for the same scheme in Rhode Island.
Back in 2019, Mateo as an worker of Upserve, Inc. in Providence used that firm’s bank card to buy a number of Apple computer systems. An investigation later revealed that Mateo offered no less than one of many computer systems on eBay. Mateo pleaded responsible to embezzlement, fraudulent use of bank cards, and larceny over $1,500 in that case.
“This individual apparently had the impression that the absence of more than 100 Apple laptops would somehow go unnoticed,” Hayden mentioned in a press release.
“Like most others who attempt such schemes, he found out just how wrong he was,” the DA added. “He deserves to be brought to justice for his brazenness, particularly as it targeted a non-profit that does great work for entrepreneurs across Massachusetts.”
Mateo has been on private recognizance since being arraigned at South Boston BMC in July on a cost of larceny over $1,200. Mateo is predicted to return to court docket on Sept. 20 for a pre-trial listening to.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”
