FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2009
WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/MA
CONTACT: CHRISTINA DiIORIO-STERLING
PHONE: (617)748-3356
E-MAIL: USAMA.MEDIA@USDOJ.GOV
FORMER PENSION PLAN ADMINISTRATOR PLEADS GUILTY
TO EMBEZZLEMENT FROM EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT FUND
BOSTON, MA - A West Roxbury man pled guilty today in federal court to embezzlement from an employee pension fund for which he had been the plan administrator.
United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan and Marjorie Franzman, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General - Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations in New England, announced today that MARK J. HARRINGTON, age 53, of West Roxbury, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Patti B. Saris to embezzlement from an employee pension plan subject to Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).
At today's plea hearing, the prosecutor told the Court that had the case proceeded to trial, the Government's evidence would have proven that from July through December of 2008, HARRINGTON used his position as Vice President and Controller at Anchor Capital Advisors, LLC, to embezzle a total of $386,711.70 from the employee pension plan which, as Plan Administrator, he was obligated to protect. HARRINGTON used his nephew to set up bank accounts into which the nephew then deposited funds which HARRINGTON had removed from the Pension Plan funds. HARRINGTON then used these funds to buy a home in Brockton for his girlfriend, to gamble, and to pay legal expenses associated with divorce proceedings. HARRINGTON also purchased a new Cadillac Escalade for the girlfriend.
Judge Saris scheduled sentencing for July 22, 2009, at 3:00 p.m. HARRINGTON faces up to 5 years imprisonment, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release and a $ 250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations and the Employee Benefits Security Administration in Boston, Massachusetts. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul R. Moore of Sullivan’s Economic Crimes Unit.
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