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Date: 07-22-2020
Case Style:
United States of America v. Michael Verzella
Case Number: 3:19-cr-00163-KAD
Judge: Kari A. Dooley
Court: United States District Court for the District of New Haven (New Haven County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: United States District Attorney’s Office
Defendant's Attorney:
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Description:
New Haven, CT - The United States of America charged Michael Verzella, age 41, with stealing more than $240,000 from his non-profit employer and numerous individuals serviced by his employer.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Verzella was employed as the Supervisor of Recreation and Operations at Chapel Haven Schleifer Center (“Chapel Haven”), a private, non-profit entity that provides services and residential housing to individuals with developmental and social disabilities. As an employee of Chapel Haven, Verzella possessed a Chapel Haven credit card that was supposed to be used to pay for expenses related to Chapel Haven, including the purchasing of tickets to off-site events that students and community members of Chapel Haven could attend. These events included trips to dances, bingo nights, plays, shopping malls, and sporting events.
In pleading guilty, Verzella admitted that, between January 2012 and February 2018, he used his Chapel Haven credit card to purchase tickets for sporting and entertainment events that he attended with friends and family. He then submitted fraudulent purchase orders for these expenses to the Chapel Haven business office, representing them to be for recreational events for the students and community members of Chapel Haven. He also used the credit card to purchase gift cards for his personal use. Through this scheme, Verzella defrauded Chapel Haven of approximately $175,872.
In addition, Verzella directed Chapel Haven employees he supervised to collect cash from Chapel Haven students and community members to attend in-house events at Chapel Haven, even though the fees for attending such events were already included in the tuition for students and billed by invoice to community members. Verzella kept at least $68,000 in collected cash for himself.
Judge Dooley ordered Verzella to pay total restitution of $450,062.08, which includes expenses Chapel Haven incurred while investigating his criminal conduct.
Verzella was arrested on a criminal complaint on December 20, 2018. On February 27, 2020, he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
Verzella, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on September 17, 2020.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah P. Karwan and Maria del Pilar Gonzalez.
FRAUD BY WIRE, RADIO, OR TELEVISION (Wire Fraud)
Outcome:
07/17/2020
NOTICE regarding hearing via Zoom as to Michael Verzella: Public Access to the Sentencing scheduled for 7/20/2020 at 10:00am will be conducted via Zoom. The video link is https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1603999661?pwd=K00yZjFPZWpvSmsvblh2QzBhbmpRZz09 and call in number is +1 646 828 7666 US (New York).
Meeting ID: 160 399 9661
Meeting Password: 263643
Please note: Persons granted remote access to proceedings are reminded of the general prohibition against photographing, recording, screenshots, streaming, and rebroadcasting in any form, of court proceedings. The Judicial Conference of the United States, which governs the practices of the federal courts, has prohibited it. Violation of these prohibitions may result in sanctions, including removal of court issued media credentials, restricted entry to future hearings, denial of entry to future hearings, or any other sanctions deemed necessary by the court. (Gould, K.) (Entered: 07/17/2020)
07/17/2020 88 Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Kari A. Dooley: Telephonic Scheduling Conference as to Michael Verzella held on 7/17/2020 Total Time: 26 minutes(Court Reporter Tracy Gow.)(Gould, K.) (Entered: 07/17/2020)
Defendant was sentenced to 33 months in prison.
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments: