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Agents arrested a Marblehead man who claimed to be an Orthodox Christian monk and a woman who served as his attorney this week and charged them with a "brazen" scheme to steal more than $3.6 million from federal programs.
Brian Andrew Bushell, 47, and Tracey M.A. Stockton, 64, were arrested on Thursday, Oct. 13, after the FBI said it uncovered their efforts to swindle aid money meant for businesses struggling during the pandemic. They used that cash to buy themselves luxury items and start work on a "monastic complex," the US Attorney's Office said.
Investigators said Bushell — who presented himself as Father or Rev. Fr. — ran several businesses and nonprofits in Marblehead. Stockton served as the attorney for those enterprises. The two also lived together at the Annunciation House in Marblehead.
Officials said the duo used those businesses to file for money from the CARES Act but lied on the applications to get more cash. Bushell "vastly overestimated" the companies' operating costs and received $3.5 million in Economic Injury Disaster Loans, the US Attorney's Office said. Bushell and Stockton also inflated the number of employees they had and their businesses' payrolls to get $146,608 in Paycheck Protection Program money, authorities said.
Bushell, who purportedly took a vow of poverty, bought himself a $40,000 Swiss watch and a $7,000 Goyard handbag for Stockton, federal authorities said. Stockton allegedly spent more than $2,400 on luxury items from Hermès and other designers.
Authorities said they also used $1 million of the money to renovate two Marblehead properties to build a monastic complex that would have included a brewery, a beer garden, and a chapel. Prosecutors allege they also purchased a new home and spent money to furnish their various properties.
“We believe they clearly knew that what they were doing was wrong, but they did it anyway, spending tens of thousands of dollars on exclusive memberships, expensive wine, property, renovations, and even a $40,000 wristwatch,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Their alleged greed is an affront to every hard-working taxpayer, and during these challenging times where scammers are doing everything they can to defraud people of their hard-earned money, the FBI is doing everything we can to make sure they don’t succeed.”
Federal officials charged the duo with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and unlawful monetary transactions, officials said. They are due in court Thursday afternoon.
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