The Worcester Telegram is reporting that a Southborough based developer is pursuing criminal and civil charges against its former CFO for alleged embezzlement.
The T&G article writes:
Richard J. Collins Jr., the former CFO of Walker Development and Construction Management, was arraigned on nine charges including theft and identity fraud, March 24 in Worcester Superior Court.
Court documents indicate Collins, who was indicted Feb. 19, saw properties he owns in Hingham and Hanover attached in a related civil lawsuit in the amount of $808,670.37.
According to the story, Collins1 is accused of initially embezzling more than $1.3 million. The amount in the lawsuit is what he purportedly still owes at this point.
A hearing took place on March 5th in Worcester Superior Court. The judge cleared the case to proceed to a future jury trial, finding:
there is a reasonable likelihood that the plaintiff(s) will recover judgment, including interest and costs, in an amount equal to or greater than the amount
of the attachment approved herein over and above any liability insurance shown by the following defendant to be available to satisfy the judgment.
The court docket shows that Hingham Institution for Savings was also initially listed as a defendant, but has since been dismissed from the case.
In the criminal trial, Collins was indicted for felony larceny on February 19th, and appeared in Worcester Superior Court on March 24th. He pled not guilty and was released, but ordered to “Stay away/no contact with Walker Construction or it’s employees”.
T&G also reports that Collins and his attorney declined to comment outside the courtroom.
You can read the T&G’s full article here with more details about the allegations made by Walker’s CEO Jeffrey Walker. (The allegations were also covered by the Worcester Business Journal here.)
- Editor’s Note: For readers wondering why I didn’t redact the name of the accused as I often due in stories based on press releases from the Southborough Police Department — in this instance, the case has already passed the legal thresholds to continue in court. It’s a blog policy that predates me, and which I have attempted to honor.
