Paxton Man Pleads Guilty To Stealing $1.5 Million From Milford Real Estate Company

WORCESTER COUNTY, MA — A 61-year-old Paxton man was sentenced to two to three years in state prison on Monday after pleading guilty to stealing $1.48 million from a Milford real estate company, according to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.

Worcester Superior Court Judge Shannon Frison sentenced Michael Lussier to prison to be followed by five years probation after the defendant admitted to stealing money from F.R.E. Building Co. where he worked for more than 25 years as controller and accounting manager.

Assistant District Attorney John A. O’Leary, who recommended a sentence of four to five years in prison followed by 10 years probation, told the court that the thefts occurred on hundreds of occasions between October 2008 and January 2014 with Mr. Lussier withdrawing money from company accounts and depositing it in his own accounts, said the release from the district attorney. Lussier’s attorney recommended the same sentence imposed by Judge Frison.

The thefts were discovered by the chief financial officer of the company and the case was investigated by Milford Police.

As part of the plea, Lussier agreed to pay the $50,000 he had posted as bail as restitution. A hearing to schedule payment of the balance of restitution will be held when he is released from prison.

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