News  Former Homeless Shelter CEO Pleaded Guilty, Sentenced to One Year in Jail

Manual Duran, the former CEO of Casa Nueva Vida, Inc., (CNV) pleaded guilty on September 29, 2022, in Suffolk Superior Court to charges of perjury, larceny, and making false entries in corporate books.

An anonymous tip to the Office of the Inspector General’s (Office) fraud hotline prompted the Office to review CNV’s finances. The investigation found that Mr. Duran leased several properties he controlled to CNV at above-market rates and falsely reported that CNV had not engaged in any transactions with officers or directors of the organization. The Office also found that Mr. Duran created, and then approved, false invoices for work that was never performed; he then directed vulnerable employees and associates to cash the checks and give him most of the funds.

The Office began working with the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) on the case in 2021. The joint investigation by the AGO and the Office, with assistance from Massachusetts State Police assigned to the AGO, led to a nine-count criminal indictment of Mr. Duran in September 2021. He was charged with stealing $1.5 million from CNV through multiple schemes, covering up his theft by creating false invoices and contracts, and submitting false information in CNV’s charity filings.

Mr. Duran pleaded guilty to four counts of perjury, three counts of larceny through separate fraud schemes and two counts of making false entries in corporate books.  He was sentenced to one year in the Suffolk County House of Correction, four years of probation with the conditions that he complete 250 hours of community service and can no longer work as a fiduciary or in transitional housing. He was also ordered to pay restitution of an amount to be determined at a later hearing.

For additional information about the guilty plea and sentencing, see the Attorney General’s press release: Former Head of Homeless Shelter Pleads Guilty, Sentenced to Jail for Stealing From the Non-profit Organization.

For additional information about the indictment, see the Attorney General’s press release: Former Head of Homeless Shelter Indicted for Stealing Nearly $1.5 Million From the Non-Profit Organization.