Press Release  Boston Fire Department District Chief Found Guilty of Procurement Fraud, Larceny

Boston — A Boston Fire Department District Chief has been found guilty on procurement fraud and larceny charges in connection with two illicit schemes to enrich himself, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

Following a two week trial, a Suffolk Superior Court jury today found Edward A. Scigliano, IV, age 46, of Kingston, guilty on charges of Procurement Fraud (five counts) and Larceny over $250 (five counts).

Scigliano is scheduled to be sentenced in Suffolk Superior Court on Feb. 25. Scigliano was released on his own personal recognizance, under the conditions that he turn over any firearms and surrender his passport.

“This defendant abused his position as a public employee and stole tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars that should have gone back to the City of Boston,” said AG Healey. “Our office is committed to holding accountable public employees who exploit their position for personal profit and defy the public’s trust.”

“I have a zero tolerance for corruption and promise swift action once sentencing is complete. The public deserves to have full confidence in the people that work for the City of Boston, especially those in public safety. My thanks to Attorney General Healey and her staff for their diligent work in this case. Thanks also to the Inspector General’s office, the Boston Police Anti-Corruption Division and the brave firefighters who first brought this forward,” said Boston Fire Commissioner/Chief Joseph Finn. 

The AG’s Office began an investigation after the matter was referred by the Inspector General’s Office and the Boston Police Department’s Anti-Corruption Division, which conducted an initial investigation. Both agencies worked with the AG’s Office throughout the remainder of the investigation. Scigliano is a Boston Fire Department (BFD) District Chief and previously served as a Drillmaster at the Boston Fire Academy (BFA).

“Scigliano used his leadership role in the Boston Fire Department to enrich himself,” said Inspector General Glenn A. Cunha. “I am pleased that the hard work by my office, the Boston Police Department and the AG’s Office resulted in justice being done.”

Between 2008 and 2011, Scigliano used two separate schemes to enrich himself, including one in which he profited from checks from an emergency vehicle vendor that did business with the BFD, and another scheme to personally profit from items purchased by an equipment vendor used to supply the department.

The investigation revealed that Scigliano personally profited from checks from Greenwood Emergency Vehicles, Inc. (Greenwood), a fire apparatus and ambulance dealership that supplied fire trucks to the BFD. He was the principal contact between the BFD and Greenwood with regard to the acquisition of fire trucks.

Scigliano directed the company to issue checks totaling more than $32,000 to his personal credit cards.   The money was from credit balances that were owed to the City of Boston relating to the purchase of fire apparatus from Greenwood. He falsely represented that he was authorized by the Fire Commissioner to receive these checks. He falsely claimed that the money was for items that he had purchased for the BFA.

Scigliano also orchestrated another scheme in which he profited from items purchased by Northeast Rescue Systems, Inc. (Northeast), a distributor of equipment to fire departments and emergency services agencies including the BFD. He arranged unauthorized “swaps” for items listed in purchase orders that Northeast had pending with the City of Boston.

The investigation revealed that Scigliano directed Northeast to purchase more than $17,000 worth of items for his personal use instead of what was listed in the original purchase order. These items included a 52-inch HD TV, a gas grill, a living room set, an elliptical machine, and gift cards for Home Depot and Lowes. The purchase orders were never revised to reflect the changes requested by Scigliano, and the City unknowingly paid Northeast, in full, for items that ultimately were not delivered.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorneys General Peter A. Mullin and Erika Anderson of AG Healey’s White Collar and Public Integrity Divisioni with assistance from Victim Witness Advocate John Malone. It was investigated by Sallyann Nelligan, Director of the AG’s Financial Investigations Division, State Police assigned to the AG’s Office, the AG’s Digital Evidence Lab, the Massachusetts Inspector General’s Office and the Boston Police Department’s Anti-Corruption Division. The Boston Fire Department fully cooperated with the investigation.

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