Top Mummer Charged With Stealing Nearly $500,000
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- One of Philadelphia's top mummers has been charged with stealing nearly half a million dollars from two of his employers.
John Pignotti (pin-YAHT-ee) was president of the String Band Association until February. He was also a branch manager at two security firms, where he had authority to approve invoices and write paychecks.
Federal prosecutors say he wrote more than 100-thousand dollars in fraudulent paychecks, using the identity of real security guards employed by one firm, where he worked from 2001 to 2008.
Authorities say Pignotti went to work for a second firm in 2008 and stole more than 300-thousand dollars by sending false invoices and writing checks that he, himself, then cashed.
Pignotti is charged with mail fraud and identity theft.
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