BOSTON – A Florida woman was sentenced to probation for lying about her ex-husband’s whereabouts during a fugitive investigation.
Cecily Sturge, 70, of Delray Beach, Fla., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris to one year of probation during which time she must complete four hours per week of community service and pay a fine of $1,000. In January 2018, Sturge pleaded guilty to making a materially false statement to a federal agent about the whereabouts of her ex-husband, Scott J. Wolas.
Wolas was a fugitive for 20 years in connection with a New York investment scheme until his arrest in April 2017. He is charged with operating a fraudulent $1.7 million real estate investment scheme in Quincy, and remains in custody while his case is pending.
According to court documents, a federal investigation into Wolas began in early September 2016 when Wolas fled Massachusetts after defrauding at least 19 investors of about $1.7 million in connection with his purported efforts to develop two Quincy properties, including the site of the former Beachcomber Bar.
Sturge was interviewed by law enforcement on Nov. 17, 2016, at which time she stated that she had not been in contact with her ex-husband for approximately 15 years. However, evidence showed that Sturge had lied about her contact with Wolas, including phone records showing frequent communication between the two.
Wolas was arrested on April 7, 2017, at a condominium he was renting in Delray Beach, Fla. It was discovered that Sturge had rented the condo for Wolas using her own name, and that the two had arrived at the condo together in the same car on Nov. 12, 2016, just days before Sturge’s interview with law enforcement.
Sturge was previously divorced from Wolas in 2001 by default judgment in Palm Beach County, Fla. In February 2017, Sturge filed a petition to modify the judgment in order to obtain the contents of Wolas’ retirement account, which had a balance of approximately $647,000.
The United States has obtained a court order freezing the retirement account until the resolution of the criminal proceedings.
Wolas is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mandatory Facts: Defendant: Cecily Sturge. Exact Criminal Charges: Making a materially false statement to a federal agent. City: Boston. State: Massachusetts. Date: January 2018 (sentencing). Sentence: One year of probation and a fine of $1,000. Dollar Amounts: $1,000 (fine), $1.7 million (fraudulent real estate investment scheme).
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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