By Barbara Smith,
Blogger and Social Justice Activist,
https://www.facebook.com/HWdemocrats/
Read about Covid Fraud in the Salem News link below…..
Marblehead ‘monk’ and partner charged with $3.6 million COVID relief fraud | News | salemnews.com
I am extremely grateful to : Courts reporter Julie Manganis for her excellent investigative work. can be reached at 978-338-2521, by email at jmanganis@salemnews.com or on Twitter at @SNJulieManganis
Self-proclaimed Marblehead ‘monk’ charged with Covid fraud
The Salem News report is similar to what happened in Hamilton over the Fall of 2021 as residents in Hamilton searched for the Hamilton designated Covid Test Kits to assure healthy status before traveling over the holidays. Senior citizens are most vulnerable to contracting the disease and the test kits were meant to be available to these targeted demographics. INSTEAD, political lobbyist, Anna Siedzik contrived with her cult follower, town manager Joe Domelowicz to remove the kits from Hamilton town hall behinds the backs of the 5 Select Board Members. The kits ended up being distributed by faith- based groups to local towns and some specifically went to students attending the local Christian Colleges, leaving Hamilton elderly residents at a loss…….
Anna Siedzik has never been held accountable for her role in breaking Hamilton Bylaws along with town manager, who should have been fired …..
These charismatic charlatans and bullies, like Anna Siedzik, Joe Domelowicz, just like Donald Trump must be held accountable when breaking laws. The Hamilton Wenham Human Rights Coalition, a faith-based, political lobby with oversized influence on all Hamilton town officials is no different than Donald Trump’s narcissistic law-breaking actions, self-aggrandizement with a religious and money making agenda that does not serve the people.
CARES ACT MONIES….
The Hamilton, $45,000 valued Covid Test Kits disappeared into the hands of a religious nonprofit Lobby with absolutely NO accountability. No accounting of how many went where or to whom. I wonder if the federal CARES money was used to provide Hamilton citizens with those Covid test kits. If so, it appears that maybe the town manager, Joe D. who has thousands of emails passing between his cohort and Lobbyist Siedzik might have broken the law…… Maybe they used those test kits to buy influence with other religious entities. Maybe the Lobbyist used those test kits to generate revenue for her Lobby. Maybe the Lobbyist used those test kits to burnish the reputation of Jamie Belsito by supplying special interest groups with free test kits in the district Belsito was running for state representative in….We just don’t know, because there was zero accounting and zero transparency. For what reason????
In summary, according to the Salem News,
Federal authorities have charged a Marblehead man who calls himself a monk and his partner and attorney with illegally obtaining $3.6 million worth of pandemic relief funds and spending much of them on personal perks such as club memberships and a $40,000 wristwatch. Julie Manganis of the Salem News has all the details.
According to the Salem News, “MARBLEHEAD — Federal prosecutors have charged a man known in Marblehead as “Father Andrew,” and an attorney with fraudulently obtaining $3.6 million in pandemic relief funds for several “purported” religious organizations and businesses he and the attorney controlled.
Brian Andrew Bushell, 47, and Tracey M.A. Stockton, 64, were arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and unlawful monetary transactions.
After an initial court appearance Thursday afternoon, they were expected to be released on bond with conditions by a federal magistrate judge.
The two live together at 22 Endicott Ave. in Marblehead, which is also referred to as “Annunciation House.”
Investigators also conducted searches of several properties related to the pair.”
Bushell, whom investigators describe as “a purported Orthodox Christian monk who presented himself as ‘Father’ and ‘Rev. Fr.’ Bushell or Andrew,” and Stockton, a licensed attorney in Massachusetts, used the funds to purchase exclusive memberships at clubs in New York, expensive wine, property, renovations, and even a $40,000 wristwatch, according to FBI Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta.
Prosecutors allege that Bushell and Stockton allegedly spent over $1 million of the CARES Act proceeds for extensive renovations to two Marblehead properties at 120 and 124 Pleasant St. which they planned to develop into a “monastic complex” that featured a chapel, brewery and beer garden.
They also purchased furniture and fixtures, including $24,000 in sinks and marble tile, five gas fireplaces, and had put down a $28,000 deposit toward appliances that were worth $76,000, prosecutors allege.
Bushell, who prosecutors noted had claimed to have taken a vow of poverty, also allegedly used fraudulently obtained CARES Act funds to purchase a $40,000 Swiss Breguet wristwatch and an antique Breguet clock valued at $27,000, a $6,800 custom monogrammed Goyard handbag for Stockton, and $2,400 on items from Hermès and other luxury goods, they said in announcing the indictments.
The pair controlled several entities, including St. Paul’s Foundation, the Shrine of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Patron of Sailors, Brewers and Repentant Thieves, Annunciation House, Marblehead Brewing Company and Marblehead Salt Company.
According to an affidavit, this spring, they also purchased a property at 12 Conant Street through an entity called “Egypt House” for more than $800,000, telling a lender that they planned to rent it to Ukranian refugees – but also allegedly telling the same lender that they had entered a market-rate lease for $4,500 a month to rent out the property.
Stockton, a licensed attorney, served as legal counsel and representative of the various entities.
Prosecutors allege that soon after the the CARES Act made funds available to small businesses and other employers, Bushell began submitting multiple applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans, in which he “vastly overstated” their expenses and fabricated revenue and expense reports, often claiming the same expenses among multiple entities.
As a result, prosecutors allege, Bushell and Stockton obtained $3.5 million in EIDL funds for St. Paul’s, St. Nicholas, Annunciation House and Marblehead Salt.
They also obtained Paycheck Protection Program funds for the various entities by inflating the number of employees and payroll expenses, claiming at least eight individuals who had never worked for any of the organizations.
In an affidavit, investigators say that the individuals falsely claimed as employees ranged from contractors and subcontractors hired to work on the Pleasant Street properties to a photographer, an iconographer, to several acquaintances.
The two also claimed salaries that would have put them at $100,000 per year or more for each of the entities, according to the affidavit.
The pair also set up an entity called the “Holy Metropolis of Rodopolis and Exarchate of Lazica” in July, 2020, which purported to assist an Orthodox priest identified in court papers by his initials in obtaining CARES Act funds. However, that priest did not receive any funds.
Investigators allege that with each announcement that the limit for EIDL funds would be raised, the pair would ask for increases in their loan amount up to the maximum.
During their court appearance on Thursday, the pair declined to submit financial statements and told the federal magistrate that they intend to hire private attorneys. They also asked for a probable cause hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.
U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins called the pair’s actions “brazen” and said they engaged in behavior “that took advantage” of the government’s efforts to rescue both businesses and nonprofits during a global pandemic.
“Pandemic relief funds are not ‘free money,’ they are a lifeline designed to help business owners and nonprofit leaders experiencing real economic hardship,” said Rollins. “Our government should not and will not foot the bill for fancy designer handbags and lavish lifestyles. Hard-working people deserve these funds.”
In 2019, Bushell sued the town of Marblehead after a building permit for his proposed beer garden and community center on Pleasant Street was suspended due to the departure of the architect overseeing the project. By the time it was reinstated, after a new architect was hired, Bushell had gone to court claiming religious discrimination, but the complaint was subsequently dismissed.
Investigators, in their affidavit, referred to depositions of Bushell in that civil suit that they say call into question his claim of being an Orthodox monk, saying that in a deposition he stated that he had no affiliation with the Boston Orthodox Church.
They also noted that while Annunciation House has been characterized as a monastery, only Bushell and Stockton, and for a time Stockton’s mother, lived in the home.
Courts reporter Julie Manganis can be reached at 978-338-2521, by email at jmanganis@salemnews.com or on Twitter at @SNJulieManganis
Learn more about the Political Lobby’s control of Hamilton’ School Board, Select Board, Board of Health, town Facebook pages, development and the Democratic Town Committee….. She controls them all!!!!