LAWFUEL – Legal Newswire – MICHAEL J. GARCIA, the United States Attorney for the
Southern District of New York, and MARK J. MERSHON, the Assistant
Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau
of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the arrest late yesterday
afternoon of MARTIN BODNER in connection with a scheme to defraud
his employer, a major handbag design company (the “Victim
Company”), of over $4 million dollars. According to the
Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court:
BODNER worked at the Victim Company in Manhattan as the
Chief Financial Officer starting in or about approximately 2000.
Beginning in 2004, BODNER began stealing money from the Victim
Company. Ultimately, by December 2007, BODNER had stolen more
than $4 million from the Victim Company. BODNER stole these
funds by: (1) causing the Victim Company to issue checks made
payable to BODNER himself or to two credit card companies that
held accounts in his name; and (2) causing the Victim Company to
electronically transfer money from the Victim Company’s payroll
account to a bank account maintained by BODNER.
When interviewed by counsel for the Victim Company,
BODNER initially stated that the prior chief executive officer of
the Victim Company authorized him to be reimbursed for personal
expenses incurred by him. Shortly thereafter, BODNER admitted
that he had no authorization to have the Victim Company reimburse
him for personal expenses incurred by him.
BODNER, age 59, resides in Port Washington, New York,
and Manhattan. He is charged with one count of wire fraud. If
convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment
and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gain or loss
resulting from the crime.
BODNER was presented earlier today in federal court in
Manhattan before United States Magistrate Judge RONALD L. ELLIS.
Mr. GARCIA praised the investigative work of the FBI.
Mr. GARCIA also said that the investigation is continuing.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely
accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and
until proven guilty.
The case is being handled by the Major Crimes Unit of
the United States Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States
Attorney DANIEL W. LEVY is in charge of this prosecution.
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