Date: October 17, 2023Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov The former information technology manager of a Quebec City, Canada-based telecommunications company was sentenced today in connection with a fraud scheme that involved the theft of over $1.4 million in computer equipment from his employer. Tod Erickson, 60, of Londonderry, N.H., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to one year and one day in prison. He was also ordered to pay restitution of $1,596,328 and to forfeit $1,457,429. On May 18, 2023, Erickson pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return. Erickson served as the information technology manager at a telecommunications company that, until February 2019, had an office located in Chelmsford, Mass. As information technology manager, Erikson was responsible for submitting requests to purchase equipment – such as computers and hard drives. From at least January 2012 through February 2019, Erickson fraudulently submitted purchase requests for computer equipment that the company did not need. Thereafter, without the knowledge or approval of his employer, Erickson sold the items to third parties. Erickson also filed income tax returns for the tax year 2016 in which he intentionally underreported his income by failing to disclose money he received from the sale of his employer's property. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
