Hudson Valley Man Charged With Embezzling $2.4M+ From 2 Companies

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — The comptroller of two Town of Poughkeepsie companies was charged with embezzling millions of dollars from his employers. Joon H. Kim, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced Friday that Mark Cina, 56, of Pleasant Valley in Dutchess County, was charged with mail fraud. Kim said the thefts happened over the course of about seven years.

Kim said Cina was entrusted with the finances of two local manufacturers in Poughkeepsie and allegedly abused that trust to spend the companies’ money on himself.

“For years, Cina allegedly used company money to gamble, pay his rent, dine out and fund a host of other personal expenses,” he said. [Get Patch’s Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts here.]

The New York State Police and Postal Inspection Service assisted in uncovering the fraud, Kim said.

As alleged in the complaint unsealed Friday in White Plains federal court:

During all times relevant to the Complaint, two manufacturing companies were in operation, with plants located in the Town of Poughkeepsie (“Company-1” and “Company-2,” collectively the “Companies”). Company-1 designed and manufactured solar energy products such as solar-powered roof shingles. Company-1’s work included, for example, a solar-powered ring of lights encircling the top of MetLife Stadium, in New Jersey. Company-2 fabricated molded plastic.

The Companies were founded by an entrepreneur (“Victim-1”). During all times relevant to the Complaint, Victim-1 was the primary investor in and owner of the Companies.

In or about 2008, Victim-1 hired MARK CINA, the defendant, as a part-time bookkeeper for Company-1. In or about 2010, CINA became employed full-time for the Companies as comptroller. As comptroller, CINA was responsible for the day-to-day financial operations of the Companies. During some of the time period relevant to this Complaint, CINA had authority to sign checks for the Companies and to carry and use the Companies’ credit cards and ATM cards. CINA remained so employed until in or about August 2015, when he was terminated.

In or about September 2015, Victim-1 appeared at a New York State Police barracks in Dutchess County. Victim-1 reported, in part and substance, that a former employee of the Companies had stolen company funds. Thereafter, the New York State Police commenced an investigation, which federal law enforcement officers later joined. As summarized in the Complaint, the investigation yielded myriad evidence showing that CINA had defrauded Victim-1, via the Companies, of millions of dollars over the course of at least approximately seven years. CINA did so by, among other things, using the Companies’ funds for himself to gamble, pay his rent, drive rental cars, dine out, get his car washed, bail out an arrestee, and, in one instance, pay a phone charge for an inmate’s call.

According to, among other things, business and financial records obtained during the criminal investigation, and a forensic report prepared by an accounting firm, CINA made the following disbursements of the Companies’ funds, from in or about 2009 through in or about 2015, which were not authorized, and which had no apparent or recorded business purpose:

• Payments to a mini-mart (approximately $457,000)

• Payments to a gas station (approximately $180,000)

• Payment of CINA’s rent (approximately $25,000)

• Payment of CINA’s personal credit card bills (approximately $125,000)

• Checks payable to CINA (non-payroll) (approximately $599,000)

• Checks payable to cash (approximately $282,000)

• Cash withdrawals (approximately $825,000)

• Additional unauthorized charges (including charges to pharmacies, medical and dental facilities, a rental car company, a car wash facility, an inmate phone service, and for purported loans from family members of CINA)

Cina is charged with one count of mail fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

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