A former BronxWorks employee from the Bedford Park area of the borough was ordered by a judge to pay restitution after he stole more than $140,000 from the charity group, it was announced by Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark on May 27.

 

According to the investigation, Adam Castillo, 42, who was purchasing manager at BronxWorks, a non-profit group that provides cell phones to homeless people, stole 514 electronic devices between Jan. 18, 2017 and July 30, 2018. The defendant, who was responsible for ordering cell phones and tablets, used his login credentials to access BronxWorks’ Verizon account and placed unauthorized orders.

 

All stolen devices were shipped to his attention and 42 of the cell phones were delivered to his parents’ home address. The charity was alerted of the stolen funds when they reconciled their budget. The stolen devices caused the non-profit group to lose a total of $141,356. Castillo was arrested on June 12, 2019.

 

Speaking at the announcement of the judge’s order, Clark said, “The defendant stole devices that were meant to help homeless people in the Bronx. BronxWorks, a non-profit in our community, lost a substantial amount of money because of the defendant’s wrongdoing. He has now been held accountable for his actions.”

 

Clark said Bronx Supreme Court justice, James McCarty, ordered Castillo, of Webster Avenue in Bedford Park to pay $47,600 in restitution. The defendant also received a $93,700 civil judgement order. Castillo pleaded guilty to third-degree grand larceny on March 24, 2021 before McCarty.

 

          The case was prosecuted by Assistant D.A. Melanie Smith of the economic crimes bureau, under the supervision of both Richard Kearney, deputy chief of bureau, and William Zelenka, chief of the bureau, and under the overall supervision of Tarek Rahman, deputy chief of the investigations division, and Wanda Perez-Maldonado, chief of the investigations division. Clark thanked Bronx DA principal accountant investigator, James Antonino, and NYPD Detective Paul Sperco of the special frauds squad, financial crimes task force, for their assistance in the investigation.