Please E-mail suggested additions, comments and/or corrections to Kent@MoreLaw.Com.

Help support the publication of case reports on MoreLaw

Date: 06-16-2022

Case Style:

United States of America v. Joseph A. Cipolletti

Case Number: 5:20-cr-00400-PAB

Judge: Pamela A. Barker

Court: United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio (Cuyahoga County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: United States Attorney’s Office

Defendant's Attorney:



Click Here to Watch How To Find A Lawyer by Kent Morlan

Click Here For The Best Cleveland Criminal Defense Lawyer Directory


Description: Cleveland, Ohio criminal defense lawyer represented defendant charged with wire fraud, money laundering, bank fraud and false statement under oath in a bankruptcy proceeding.

The former Vice President of Discovery Tours Inc., a business located in Mayfield Village, Ohio, that offered educational trips for grade school and high school students, pleaded guilty to devising a scheme to take payments for trips and then using the funds for personal expenses.

Cipolletti was employed as Vice President of Discovery Tours, Inc., a business that offered educational trips for students to destinations such as Washington, D.C., Chicago, Illinois, New York City, New York, Columbus, Ohio, and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Court documents state that as Vice President, Cipolletti managed the organization’s finances, general ledger entries, accounts payable and accounts receivable. Cipolletti also had signature authority on Discovery Tours’ business bank accounts.

Court documents state that from June 2014 to May 2018, Cipolletti, as Vice President, devised a scheme to defraud parents and other student trip purchasers by diverting payments intended for these trips to his own personal use on items such as home renovations and vehicles.

As a result of Cipolletti’s actions and subsequent attempts to cover up the scheme, in May 2018, Discovery Tours abruptly ended operations and filed for bankruptcy. Student trips to Washington, D.C. were canceled for dozens of schools across Ohio and more than 5,000 families lost the money they had previously paid for trip fees.

In addition, on December 10, 2018, in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Cipolletti knowingly made statements under oath in and in relation to his organization’s bankruptcy status. Cipolletti claimed that he did not owe his business any money when, in fact, and as he then knew, he had embezzled more than $600,000 from his place of business and made false entries in the general ledger.

This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. McDonough.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio would like to acknowledge and thank the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations and the Summit County, Geauga County, and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Offices for their cooperation with this matter.

Outcome: Defendant pleaded guilty.

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

Comments:



Find a Lawyer

Subject:
City:
State:
 

Find a Case

Subject:
County:
State: