Steven Kent Strange, 51, of Bailey, North Carolina, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for stealing nearly $600,000 from his employer’s charity matching program through a web of forged checks and fake donations. U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea handed down the sentence in Hartford, Connecticut, ordering three years of supervised release and $591,877 in restitution. The scam spanned from 2015 to 2019, targeting United Technologies Corporation’s Matching Gift Program—a benefit meant to support employee-driven philanthropy.
Strange, a former employee of Collins Aerospace—a UTC business unit based in Farmington, Connecticut—abused the system by fabricating donation records. He claimed he and coworkers had given to the Housing Development Foundation of North Carolina, Inc., a charity he created in 2008 and listed at his personal residence. No actual donations were made. Instead, Strange submitted falsified cashier’s checks to UTC, triggering corporate matching funds that poured $585,000 into his foundation and another $5,257 to third-party processors.
Bank records reveal the charity was little more than a front. A significant portion of the funds flowed directly into Strange’s personal expenses, exposing the foundation as a shell operation designed to siphon corporate money. The fraud went undetected for years, exploiting trust in employee generosity and corporate goodwill. UTC only caught the scheme after internal reviews flagged suspicious patterns in donation submissions tied to Strange.
While awaiting sentencing, Strange compounded his crimes by submitting three forged letters to Judge Shea in a desperate bid for leniency. One letter, allegedly from his employer, claimed he was essential to ongoing operations. Another, purportedly from his doctor, stressed medical vulnerabilities. A third, from a so-called friend, praised his character and devotion to his wife. All were fabrications—crafted and submitted directly to the court.
On June 22, 2020, Strange pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in connection with the scheme. Despite being released on bond, he must report to federal prison on December 20. Judge Shea made no concessions for the attempted manipulation of the court, calling the post-conviction conduct a serious breach of judicial integrity.
The FBI led the investigation into Strange’s dual-layered fraud—the initial theft and the subsequent court deception. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser prosecuted the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut. The case stands as a stark reminder: charity may begin at home, but when it’s rigged, federal time follows hard behind.
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Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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