Source: United States Department of Justice News
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Thomas M. Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, New York Field Office (“IRS-CI”), and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (“DOL-OIG”), announced that ANTHONY LISI pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his involvement in an embezzlement scheme. LISI surrendered yesterday and pled guilty before United States District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, to whom his case is assigned.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As he admitted, Anthony Lisi participated in an embezzlement scheme. Lisi accepted a job with a technology company and, for over a year, submitted falsified weekly time sheets to his employer. He claimed that he had worked eight hours per day, every day—including various holidays—when he had not. As a law enforcement officer who worked for the NYPD for over 20 years, including as a Sergeant, Lisi knew right from wrong.”
FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “As he admitted, Mr. Lisi intentionally defrauded his victims through an embezzlement scheme as soon as he began his employment. As a law enforcement officer, he knew better than most that by lying about the services he provided he was committing a crime. Embezzlement schemes harm both private businesses and the broader economy regardless of their scale. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to work to hold fraudsters accountable in our justice system.”
IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Thomas M. Fattorusso said: “There is simply no excuse for Lisi, whose job as a Sergeant with the NYPD was to understand how laws work and how laws are broken. His scheme to make fast cash without doing the work has now landed him on the wrong side of the law, and his guilty plea moves him a step closer to realizing the consequences of his actions.”
According to the allegations in the Information, court filings, and statements made in court:
In connection with an IT services contract, a technology company hired ANTHONY LISI. From January 2018 to February 2019, LISI electronically submitted weekly time sheets in which he represented to the technology company that he had worked eight hours per day, every day, including various holidays. In fact, he had not. These false representations induced the technology company to pay LISI.
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LISI, 47, of Monroe, New Jersey, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Under the terms of his plea agreement, LISI has agreed to forfeit $66,100 and to pay restitution of $94,185.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. LISI is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Engelmayer on December 21, 2022, at 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI, IRS-CI, and DOL-OIG. Mr. Williams also noted that the investigation is ongoing.
This matter is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Neff is in charge of the prosecution.