Press Release  Haverhill Man Arraigned on Restaurant Equipment Larceny Scheme

Haverhill, Massachusetts — William Griffin, 47, of Haverhill was arraigned today on nine counts of larceny over $250 and one count of misleading a bankruptcy court in connection with what is alleged to be an ongoing restaurant equipment scheme in which dozens of people were defrauded.  Judge Stephen Abany ordered him held on $500,000 cash bail and his bail in four open cases out of Haverhill and West Roxbury District Courts was revoked for 50 days.

Essex Assistant District Attorney Philip Mallard told the court that the defendant operated a restaurant equipment business at 104 Hale Street in Haverhill.  ADA Mallard alleged that the defendant on numerous occasions accepted payment for a piece of equipment and then either failed to deliver it or delivered an inferior or broken item instead.  Additionally, ADA Mallard alleged that the defendant accepted a piece of restaurant equipment to sell on a consignment basis and never paid or refused to return the item to the owner.  The defendant is alleged to have stolen nearly $140,000 from the nine victims in the case arraigned today.  Finally, the defendant filed for bankruptcy in an alleged attempt to discharge the money he stole as debts.   He allegedly misrepresented his earnings to a bankruptcy court to minimize the amount of he would be required to pay on the “debts.”

The Essex District Attorney's Office and the Haverhill Police Department are continuing to investigate the defendant’s alleged criminal enterprise.

Griffin was represented by Attorney Lee Graham for the bail argument only and is presumed innocent until proven guilty.  He is scheduled to appear in Haverhill District Court on September 23^rd for a Status hearing.

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