Financial Adviser Gets Prison For Scamming LI Residents, Athletes

LONG ISLAND, NY — A former financial adviser was sentenced to 10 years in prison Tuesday for stealing millions of dollars from Long Island residents and professional athletes.

Tommy Constantine, 54, of Scottsdale, Arizona, was sentenced by United States Circuit Judge Joseph F. Bianco in federal court in Central Islip. Constantine, a former race car driver, and Phillip Kenner, 51, also of Scottsdale, were convicted of the theft scheme in July 2015. Constantine was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, five counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Last month, Kenner was sentenced to 17 years in prison.

"For years, Constantine and his coconspirator abused the trust that these victims placed in them, stealing their hard-won earnings and diverting millions of dollars for their own use," acting U.S. Attorney Seth DuCharme said in a statement. "When the investors started asking questions, rather than come clean, Constantine doubled down, re-victimizing the victims by convincing them to put even more good money in their bad hands. The jury’s verdict, and the Court’s sentences, reaffirm that greed-fueled crime will not pay off for fraudsters in the end."

Authorities said Kenner developed a roster of clients, including former New York Islander Michael Peca; former New York Islander and New York Ranger Brian Berard; Darryl Sydor and Bill Ranford, both two-time Stanley Cup champions; and other NHL players.

Some investment money was meant for land developments in Hawaii and a start-up credit card business based in Arizona; instead, Kenner and Constantine diverted these earnings for their own uses, the U.S. attorney said.

Constantine was ordered to forfeit an oceanfront resort in Mexico, property in Hawaii and a Falcon 10 jet. He was also ordered to pay $5.2 million in restitution.

Starting in 2004, authorities said Constantine and Kenner siphoned millions of investor dollars into several holding companies. Constantine gained access to the funds through his relationship with Kenner, who was a college hockey player in upstate New York, and his teammate, Joe Juneau, an Olympian and NHL star. Juneau introduced Kenner to several other NHL players in the 1990s, according to the U.S. attorney.