Former Uxbridge town accountant sentenced for stealing $900K
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The town hall for Uxbridge.
A man who formerly served as an accountant for the town of Uxbridge was sentenced to three years in jail for stealing more than $900,000 from multiple municipalities in Central Mass. South.
Justin Cole, 40, of Uxbridge pleaded guilty in Worcester Superior Court on May 25 to eight counts of larceny, five counts of false claims, four counts of securing an unwarranted privilege, and one count of unlawful financial interest of a municipal employee, according to a Tuesday press release from the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.
Cole will serve his time in the Worcester County House of Correction, followed by three years of probation with the condition that he is barred from performing any financial services for any person or entity.
“This defendant abused his position of trust to steal taxpayer dollars from Massachusetts towns for his own benefit,” said Attorney General Maura Healey in a statement given following Cole’s sentencing. “We are pleased to deliver justice on behalf of these towns, and to hold this defendant accountable.”
Cole embezzled most of the funds while working as an accountant for the Town of Uxbridge between 2012 to 2017, while also serving as principal of the Bay State Municipal Accounting Group. Stolen funds were used to pay the group’s rent and purchase software for the group, according to the attorney general’s office.
Cole continued to steal town funds after his stint in Uxbridge, as BMAG provided accounting services to several other small towns such as Millville, Monterey, and Wenham. In total, Cole stole a total of $931,149 with $855,474 from Uxbridge, $24,597 from Monterey, $47,600 from Millville, and $3,478 from Wenham, according to the attorney general.
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