WORCESTER – A former City of Worcester employee was sentenced for fraud on Monday, March 28, in U.S. District Court in Worcester.
Jacklyn M. Sutcivni, 48, of Dracut, received a sentence of 40 months in prison and three years of supervised release after being convicted in a jury trial in August for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and false claims.
Sutcivni and James E. Levin were indicted in August 2016. Levin plead guilty in September and received a sentence in March of 37 months in prison.
According to federal prosecutors, Levin applied for and obtained federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD], through the City of Worcester, to rehabilitate the 5 May St. building. Levin submitted seven payment requests to the City for work he fraudulently claimed he completed on the building and associated costs.
Federal prosecutors said that Sutcivni, then an official within Worcester’s Housing Development Office, allegedly approved the payment requests submitted by Levin, although she knew the requests were fraudulent. The allegations are that this caused the City of Worcester to pay approximately $2,365,050 to Levin. Sutcivni or other City officials then submitted reimbursement requests for HUD funds. Sutcivni, as part of her job with the city, was responsible for reviewing payment requests for HUD grant funds.
Image: 5 May Street, Worcester/Google Maps
