TAMPA, Fla. – Ralph Puglisi, 60, Palm Harbor, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for mail fraud.
As part of his sentence, the court also ordered Puglisi to pay full restitution in the amount of $12,860,744.07 to the University of South Florida and entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $12,800,000, the proceeds of his mail fraud scheme.
Puglisi pleaded guilty on August 26, 2021.
According to court documents, Puglisi was employed as an accounting manager for the University of South Florida’s University Medical Services Association (UMSA).
In the news: All Methed Up: Florida Man And Woman Busted For Drugs While Snoozing In Their Car
Documents show that in this position, he was involved in overseeing the administration of UMSA’s credit cards.
Beginning in or around June 2014, and continuing through November 2019, Puglisi defrauded UMSA by using several of that entity’s credit cards to make $12,860,744.07 in unauthorized charges for his own benefit, including rent payments, extensive home renovations, travel, chartered yachts, and contributions to women affiliated with an interactive adult website.
Puglisi exploited his position as accounting manager to make false journal entries in records that created the illusion that his charges were related to UMSA’s business operations.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Visit Tampafp.com for Politics, Sports, and National Headlines. Support journalism by clicking here to our GiveSendGo or sign up for our free newsletter by clicking here.
Android Users, Click Here To Download The Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook Here Or Twitter Here.
Copyright 2022 The Free Press, LLC, tampafp.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
