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Gregory Ciccone, 37, of Woodland Park last year admitted defrauding at least 17 charities and non-profit organizations, costing them $768,000.
Several victims were organizing a class action suit in October 2010 when federal agents arrested Ciccone, the owner and president of GAC Consulting Group LLC.
A federal grand jury inquiry boosted the charges in 2012.
Ciccone technically could have faced more than 20 years in prison if convicted, under federal guidelines. But he struck a deal with the government that allowed him to plead guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return rather than go to trial.
U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said GAC contracted with charities and non-profit organizations and arranged for high-end prizes to be auctioned off to bidders during fund-raising events.
These included: a walk-on role on the “Desperate Housewives” television show; tickets to the 2009 Tony Awards; an appearance by “C.A.,” a celebrity who is a cancer survivor; and rounds of golf at the Augusta National Golf Course in Augusta, Ga.
Ciccone convinced the charities and non-profit organizations to pay GAC both an up-front retainer and commission fees based upon his ability to provide certain prizes.
He not only didn’t deliver the vast majority of the prizes offered to his victims — he never had the ability to do so, Fishman said.
After the winning bidders made their pledges and he received his commissions, Ciccone tried to stall them — including once telling a winning bidder that the 2009 Tour de France had been postponed, he said.
Ciccone used the ill-gotten gains, in part, to feed a gambling habit.
One complainant said Ciccone “stuck my company for over $100,000 in renovations to his home. He spent money like water and then sent me fake wire transfers to show his income. I was contacted by his own brother telling me he defrauded his own parents… He is a liar and a cheat.”
Ciccone originally contended he was being slandered.
“I apologize to all of my clients and potential clients for this unfortunate situation and look forward to continue success and relationships in raising money for worthwhile non-profit organizations,” Ciccone wrote in an online message board posting.
However, federal authorities noted that after his Oct. 26, 2010, arrest, Ciccone filed a false 2009 tax return on May 13, 2011, in which he failed to list certain retainer fees and commissions received from his victims, as well as gambling winnings.
As part of his plea, Ciccone agreed to pay back $267,778 in criminal forfeiture.
In addition, a federal judge in Newark today sentenced Ciccone to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $768,103 in restitution.
Fishman credited special agents with the FBI under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford; special agents of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen, for the investigation leading to today’s sentence.
Representing the government was Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Mack and Kathleen P. O’Leary of the U.S. Attorney’s Healthcare and Government Fraud Unit.
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