New York
The organizer of SantaCon, an annual bar crawl the place attendees gown up as Santa Claus, was arrested and charged with stealing greater than $1 million supposed for charity.
Federal prosecutors allege that from 2019 to April 2026 Stefan Pildes, the organizer of SantaCon, defrauded tens of hundreds of ticket-buying revelers and venue operators by promising proceeds would go to charities however as an alternative used greater than half of the cash raised to line his pockets.
Over that seven-year interval authorities allege SantaCon introduced in $2.7 million in proceeds and “only small fraction” of the cash went to the supposed charities.
Pildes allegedly used the cash to bankroll a $365,000 renovation of a New Jersey lakefront property, cowl a $3,000 dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Manhattan, purchase a luxurious automotive, and take holidays to Vail, Hawaii and Las Vegas. He additionally allegedly used about $124,000 towards renting a luxurious condominium.
“Pildes allegedly stole Christmas from tens of thousands of victims and deprived local charities of more than one million dollars,” stated James C. Barnacle, Jr., the FBI assistant director in command of the New York area workplace.
Attendees of SantaCon paid between $10 and $20 per ticket and in alternate acquired entry to designated venues taking part within the day-long celebration. Restaurants and bars who signed on as venues agreed to present a share of their food and drinks gross sales – usually 10 to 25% – to the SantaCon entity as a “charitable commission,” based on the indictment.
On the SantaCon web site, Pildes stated that ticket gross sales went “directly to Santa’s charity drive,” based on the indictment.
One attendee was informed by SantaCon in an e-mail, “your donation goes to charity and it is only a few bucks and that good feeling will warm your heart faster than whiskey and gingerbread,” based on the indictment.
Pildes is anticipated to look in federal court docket on Wednesday. If convicted he may face as a lot as 20 years in jail.