Concord Fraudster Mason Gets 6 Years

CONCORD, N.H. – Ronald Mason, 47, is headed back to federal prison after being sentenced to 72 months for a brazen mail fraud scheme that preyed on victims already stung by a multi-million dollar con. U.S. Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced the sentence today, bringing a measure of closure to a case stretching back nearly two decades.

Mason’s current sentence stems from offenses involving the theft of over $650,000. But this isn’t his first rodeo. In October 2004, Mason received a 33-month sentence and three years of supervised release for a federal crime committed in Texas. While serving that time, the architects of the original scheme – Scott Farrar, owner of Financial Resources Management (FRM), and his associate Donald Dodge – pleaded guilty to stealing more than $30 million from FRM investors right here in New Hampshire. They were the ones who set the stage for Mason’s later crimes.

After his release, Mason didn’t play by the rules. He skipped town, violating the terms of his supervised release and triggering a warrant for his arrest. To evade capture, Mason went underground, adopting a false name and settling in Concord, New Hampshire. He then targeted the very people Farrar and Dodge had already ruined – the investors they’d swindled out of millions with promises of the Abbott Village condominium project. Mason sent letters to over 100 of these victims, falsely suggesting he could salvage their investments.

Three victims took the bait. Mason met with them, spinning a web of lies about his wealth and experience as a real estate developer. Over the following months, he systematically stole more than $520,000 from them, again promising to complete Abbott Village and other New Hampshire projects – promises he had no intention of keeping. When that well ran dry, Mason didn’t stop. He concealed his fugitive status and concocted more lies to steal an additional $130,000 from two other unsuspecting individuals.

The investigation, a collaborative effort between the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, the U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, finally caught up with Mason. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Kinsella prosecuted the case, successfully demonstrating the calculated nature of Mason’s deception and the devastating impact on his victims. This wasn’t just about money; it was about exploiting those already wounded by financial ruin.

Mason’s 72-month sentence sends a clear message: preying on victims – especially those already victimized – won’t be tolerated. While this conviction offers some relief, the scars of this long-running fraud will undoubtedly linger for those who lost their savings. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments.