Former ProvPlan director Denno pleads guilty

PROVIDENCE – The former finance director for The Providence Plan pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday to embezzling more than $740,000 of the nonprofit educational organization’s funds for his own use.

Charles F. Denno, 66, of East Providence, was fired by The Providence Plan, which receives federal, state and private grant funds, as well as funds from the U.S. Department of Education and Bloomberg Family Foundation, in July.

According to a U.S. Department of Justice press release, he admitted in federal court before U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith that he devised and executed a scheme in which he fraudulently converted $742,190.69 of Providence Plan funds for his own use.

From November 2012 through July 2016, Denno admitted he used his authority to cause the U.S. Department of Education and the Bloomberg Family foundation to deposit funds into Providence Plan bank accounts, and then fraudulently converted funds to his own accounts and personal use.

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He said that he fraudulently prepared and issued Providence Plan checks made payable to CMG Enterprises, an entity he owned. Denno then made multiple withdrawals from the CMG bank account, making credit card payments, check payments and ATM cash withdrawals at Twin River Casino.

Denno is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23. Wire fraud carries penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment, three years supervised, and a fine of up to $250,000.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams, and was investigated by the State Police Gaming Enforcement Unit, the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General and the FBI.

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