Medford IT Director Stole From Law School To Fund His Band Sloth Machine: DA

A 52-year-old Medford man was arraigned on Wednesday, June 12, after police said he stole more than $65,000 worth of Amazon purchased, many of which were used for his band Sloth Machine.

Josh Lanier

06/13/2024 9:00 a.m.

Gareth Flanagan, of Medford, is charged with three counts of larceny over $1,200, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said.

Flanagan worked as the IT Director for the New England School of Law, where he had access to purchase things on the school's Amazon account below $5,000 without prior approval.

The NESL hired an outside auditing firm to investigate some of the purchases made on that Amazon account and found Flanagan had spent $68,000, the prosecutor said. Many were equipment purchases for his band Sloth Machine, which played at local bars.

It's unclear if the band is still performing.

Flanagan said he was only "testing" out the equipment and promised to return the items, the prosecutor said. He only returned some of those purchases.

A judge ordered Flanagan held on a $1,000 bail and ordered to stay away from the school.

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