A man from Long Island, New York has been sentenced to nine years in prison for stealing $4.5 million from his own mother.
Prosecutors said the money was used to “fund a lavish lifestyle” that included a $100,000 bottle of champagne, private jets, football tickets, and other expenses.
He faced a maximum sentence of 25 years in jail.
“This defendant stole more than $4 million from his mother, and used it to fund a lavish lifestyle that included private jets, night clubs, hotels, and more,” District Attorney Madeline Singas said. “Crimes that victimize family members betray the most fundamental trust and this defendant will pay with the loss of his liberty.”
Bernstein allegedly used online and mobile payment services like Venmo, Paypal, Squareup, and Plastiq to transfer money to various accounts and then withdraw cash after the transfers.
The district attorney’s office said Bernstein’s mother, who has not been named, became aware of her son’s misdeeds in April and filed a complaint in Manhattan. For jurisdictional reasons, the case was transferred to Nassau County.
William Shanahan, Bernstein’s Mineola-based attorney, was not immediately available for comment, according to TheIslandNow report.
Bernstein was originally arraigned at a Nassau County district court on June 7 and entered a guilty plea on Aug. 29.
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