Date: November 10, 2021 Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov BOSTON — A Tewksbury woman has been charged in connection with a scheme to embezzle more than $1.8 million from her employer. Joanne Dinoto, aka "Joanne Mara," of Tewksbury, was indicted on one count of bank fraud, two counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Dinoto was released on conditions following an initial appearance today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Jennifer C. Boal. According to the indictment, between December 2013 and April 2020, Dinoto stole more than $1.8 million from her employer, a flooring company based in Acton. It is alleged that Dinoto inflated her compensation by increasing her hourly rate, falsifying the number of hours she worked and adding phony "reimbursements" to her paycheck, all without authorization. The indictment also alleges that Dinoto used her employer's corporate credit card for personal expenses, even after her employer directed her to cancel the card, and forged at least two checks to herself from her employer's checking account. To conceal the scheme, Dinoto allegedly modified her employer's accounting records. The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is great. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel Mendell; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Middlesex District Attorney's Office and the Acton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of Mendell's Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
