Manhattan, NY – A decades-long scheme to siphon $17 million from a Manhattan electrical contracting company has been exposed, leading to the arrests of four family members this morning. Sabitri Laforest, 60s, the former controller of the unnamed firm, along with her son Garry Laforest, daughter Tatiana Laforest a/k/a “Tatiana Mays,” and son-in-law Sanjay Laforest, are facing federal charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Federal prosecutors allege the Laforests systematically drained funds from the company, known only as “Victim-1,” between 2013 and 2020. Sabitri Laforest, leveraging her position, allegedly authorized payments from the company’s bank account to a charge card opened by Tatiana Laforest. This account then became a slush fund for extravagant purchases, with hundreds of thousands of dollars charged monthly, all directly from the victim company.
The indictment details a life of conspicuous consumption funded by the stolen money. The Laforests splurged on over $639,000 in air travel, $242,000 on tickets to a New York City professional basketball team, and $250,000 in rent for two luxury apartments. The family also acquired high-end vehicles, including a 2020 Ford Shelby GT500 and a 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1, and held ownership stakes in several restaurants. Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss bluntly stated the family “lived a life of luxury” on stolen funds.
Arrests were made across multiple states. Sabitri Laforest and Garry Laforest were taken into custody in Parkland, Florida. Tatiana Laforest was apprehended in Queens, New York, and Sanjay Laforest in Manhattan. All four are expected to appear in federal court – Sabitri and Garry in Ft. Lauderdale, and Tatiana and Sanjay in Manhattan – before U.S. Magistrate Judges Alicia O. Valle and Sarah Netburn, respectively, later today. The U.S. Secret Service, leading the investigation alongside the NYPD, highlighted the importance of pursuing financial fraud cases.
“Bringing those to justice who commit financial fraud remains a key focus of the U.S. Secret Service,” stated Patrick J. Freaney, Deputy Special Agent-in-Charge of the USSS New York Field Office. “The accused allegedly used her professional position as controller to embezzle approximately $17 million which was then allegedly laundered with the aid of family members.” Freaney also acknowledged the support of the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Intelligence Analysts and the Miami Field Office of the Secret Service.
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea condemned the alleged scheme as “a vast criminal plunder” and emphasized the importance of collaborative law enforcement. “These arrests and the work of our NYPD detectives, the United States Secret Service and the prosecutors of the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York will ensure they face justice,” Shea said. If convicted on all counts, the Laforests face significant prison sentences and hefty financial penalties. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities haven’t ruled out the possibility of additional charges or co-conspirators.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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