Ian Finn, Wire Fraud, New York 2024

Charity Thief Sentenced to 21 Months

A New Jersey man has been sentenced to 21 months in prison for stealing $238,000 from a charity organization in New York.

Ian Finn, 39, of Summit, New Jersey, was sentenced yesterday to 21 months of imprisonment for a wire fraud conviction arising from his theft of $238,000 from Rensselaer Acacia Corporation, a charitable organization that holds assets for the Acacia Fraternity at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.

According to United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Andrew W. Vale, Special-Agent-in-Charge of the Albany Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Finn admitted to stealing the money while serving as the elected corporate treasurer on the Board of Directors for the organization.

Finn used the stolen funds to pay personal expenses, including vacations, bar tabs, and electronics. He attempted to cover up the theft by making misrepresentations to the organization’s Board of Directors over many years.

United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe also ordered Finn to pay restitution of $238,000 to his victim and sentenced him to three years of supervised release to be served after he is released from prison.

This case was investigated by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Wayne A. Myers.

Finn’s guilty plea in November 2014 marked the beginning of the end for the charity thief. His sentence serves as a reminder that those who exploit charitable organizations for personal gain will face the full force of the law.

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