Couple took 31 journeys to Disney after stealing $500K from authorities: feds

Life isn’t so magical anymore.

An Military contractor and his girlfriend defrauded the federal government of almost $500,000 to take dozens of lavish holidays to Walt Disney World whereas claiming they had been touring for work.

Thomas Bouchard, 61, used his authorities connections to get his girlfriend, Cantelle Boyd, 53, employed for a “no-show” job as his assistant so they might take quite a few holidays — together with 31 journeys to Disney World in Orlando in Orlando, Fla. — they claimed had been work-related, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.

The flowery scheme price the Division of Protection greater than $490,000, prosecutors stated.

Bouchard, who was accountable for the US Military Natick Contracting Division in Massachusetts, used his “long-standing relationship” with authorities contractor Evolution Enterprise Inc., to have Boyd employed as an assistant to help him.

Boyd was paid a authorities wage of $487,658 and carried out “little if any helpful perform” from 2014 to 2018, costing the federal government an additional $75,583 in journey bills, prosecutors stated. 

The couple booked holidays starting from two to fifteen days below the guise they had been work-related, and their travels — which had been finished throughout enterprise hours — included staying at lodges, lounging by the pool and visiting Disney parks. 

Along with Disney, the couple additionally traveled to Virginia and different Florida places. 

Prosecutors stated Bouchard hid the character of their journeys and sought reimbursement by falsifying after which approving expense information. 

Federal authorities arrested the couple in July 2020, they usually every pleaded responsible to at least one rely of conspiracy and 10 counts of theft of presidency funds and false declarations. 

Bouchard was sentenced on Aug. 5 to at least one yr and sooner or later in jail and is required to pay $487,658 in restitution.

“These of us who’re privileged to work in public service owe an obligation to the taxpayers to behave with integrity always,” Performing United States Lawyer Joshua S. Levy said of Bouchard in a news release.

“This defendant clearly failed in adhering to this solemn oath and abused his place of belief to line his personal pockets, rent a good friend right into a phantom place and luxuriate in junkets all on the taxpayer’s dime. He’ll now pay the worth for his inexcusable conduct.”

Boyd was sentenced to 6 months of dwelling confinement on Oct. 2.

Prosecutors — who beneficial a six-month jail sentence — stated Boyd is required to pay restitution “at a later date.”