Crime & Safety
Former Natick Developer Heads To Prison After Worcester Fraud
Federal prosecutors said James Levin, 62, committed fraud while redeveloping a building in Worcester's Main South neighborhood.
WORCESTER, MA — A federal judge in Worcester sentenced a former Natick developer to more than three years in prison on Tuesday over fraud related to the redevelopment of a Main South apartment building.
James Levin, 62, who now lives in Nantucket, pleaded guilty in September to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and false claims.
Prosecutors said Levin took $2.36 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Neighborhood Stabilization Program to rehab an apartment building at 5 May St. Levin never actually completed any upgrades, prosecutors said.
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Levin was sentenced to 37 months in prison, three years of supervised release and will have to pay back the money taken from HUD. Worcester was left on the hook to pay back the stolen funds.
Former Worcester city worker Jacklyn Sutcivni, of Dracut, has pleaded not guilty to similar charges, and is set to go on trial in May.
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