On Thursday, October 19, 2017, it was announced that a Sewell, New Jersey man and the former president of a linens supply company had pleaded guilty to defrauding his employer of $245,000. 62-year-old Michael A. Vicchairelli attempted to disguise the expenses as legitimate business expenses. He pleaded guilty to a single count of wire fraud.
Between January of 2012 and August of 2014, the defendant served as the president of the victim company. During this time, he used his corporate American Express Card for personal expenditures. The costs relating to gentleman’s lounges, escorts, and restaurants were unauthorized by the victim company.
Then, Vicchairelli submitted reimbursement claims to the company. The defendant attempted to conceal the fraud by ordering company employees to hide the personal charges by coding them as legitimate business expenses in the company’s ledger system. The charges were often labeled as maintenance, delivery charges and tolls.
In all, the defendant received at least $245,000 in reimbursement from the company. The defendant has already agreed to pay restitution to the company. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 22, 2018. At that time, he will face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.