Former accountant for the town of Uxbridge, Justin Cole, 38, of Harvard, is facing 16 counts for various crimes related to the theft of $729,000 over a five-year period.
According to Attorney General Maura Healey, the funds were stolen from the towns of Uxbridge and Millville in Worcester County and Monterey, which is in Berkshire County.
Healey’s office alleges that between 2012 and 2017, while the town accountant for Uxbridge, Cole caused the town to pay invoices for services not provided by approving dozens of false invoices.
Cole also allegedly used Bay State Municipal Accounting Group [BMAG], which he is sole proprietor, to defraud Uxbridge by causing the town to pay its rent and fraudulently billed software and equipment purchases to the town.
After Cole stepped down as Uxbridge’s full-time town accountant in July 2017, he is alleged to use BMAG to defraud Monterey and Millville through fraudulent billing and misleading officials about loan applications.
Healey’s office alleges that Cole stole $657,334 from Uxbridge, $24,597 from Monterey and $47.600 from Millville for a total of $729,531.
Cole faces charges of Larceny over $250 (5 counts), Larceny over $1,200 (2 counts), False Claims (4 counts), Securing an Unwarranted Privilege (4 counts), Unlawful Financial Interest of a Municipal Employee (1 count).
