Benjamin Preacher, Interstate Transportation of Stolen Goods and Unlawful Monetary Transactions, Massachusetts 2024

BOSTON – In a shocking case of corporate betrayal, Benjamin Preacher, a 54-year-old manufacturing supervisor, was sentenced to 59 days in prison for stealing over $1.7 million in gold, silver, and platinum from his employer, a luxury jewelry company.

Preacher, of North Attleboro, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to two years of supervised release, including 10 months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service. He was also ordered to forfeit $1,267,093.

The government recommended a sentence of 30 months in prison, but Judge Kelley decided on a significantly shorter term. Preacher pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation of stolen goods and one count of engaging in unlawful monetary transactions in June 2024.

Preacher’s crimes occurred between 2018 and early 2024, during which time he worked as a manufacturing supervisor at a Rhode Island facility operated by the luxury jewelry company. He used his position to steal scrap precious metals from the company’s facility in Rhode Island and then sold them to various businesses in Massachusetts.

An image of some of the stolen metals has been obtained by the Grimy Times. The case was announced today by U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jonathan Wlodyka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil, Deputy Chief of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit, prosecuted the case. The investigation was a joint effort between the IRS and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The sentencing of Preacher is a reminder that corporate crimes can have severe consequences for individuals and companies. The luxury jewelry company, which was not named in the press release, may face its own consequences for failing to detect and prevent the thefts.

The Grimy Times will continue to follow this story and provide updates as more information becomes available.

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