Albert Melin, Embezzlement, New York 2024

Former Patterson Fire Department (PFD) treasurer Albert Melin has been slammed with a 33-month prison sentence for his brazen embezzlement scheme that siphoned over $1.1 million from the volunteer department.

Melin, a Cary, North Carolina-based chiropractor, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nelson S. Roman in New York for his fraudulent activities, which spanned from December 2013 to October 2015. During this time, Melin siphoned funds by writing checks to his own businesses, 211 Medical, P.C., and N.A.S. Management Co., Inc.

The court documents revealed that the embezzler wrote more than 130 fraudulent checks, using the money for personal expenses like home mortgage payments and family vacations. He also failed to report this income on his tax returns, further complicating the scheme.

On November 2, 2016, Melin pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of subscribing to false tax returns. The former PFD treasurer now faces a supervised release term of three years after his prison sentence, along with orders to forfeit $1,151,665.76 in ill-gotten gains and pay $1,349,318.76 in restitution.

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara, commended the collaborative efforts of the IRS, FBI, New York State Comptroller, and New York State Police in this case. The Putnam County District Attorney’s Office was also acknowledged for their contribution to the investigation.

The charges against Melin were handled by the Office’s White Plains Division, with Assistant United States Attorney James McMahon leading the prosecution.

RELATED: Patterson Fire Department Treasurer Melin Pleads Guilty to $1.1M Embezzlement