WORCESTER, Mass. (WJHL) — Kyriakos “Rick” Kapiris, 38, of Northborough, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison after embezzling approximately $366,477 from a nonprofit organization in Sturbridge. The sentencing, announced on February 28, 2025, also includes a restitution order of $371,088.97, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts confirmed.
Kapiris, who served as the information technology manager at Venture Community Services—a nonprofit that provides services to developmentally disabled individuals—misused his position to defraud the organization. Between April 2015 and May 2020, he had access to company credit cards for purchasing equipment and services. However, Kapiris exploited this access to create fraudulent vendor accounts on platforms like Square and Amazon.
Investigators revealed that Kapiris used the names of legitimate Massachusetts businesses for two Square accounts, while setting up the Amazon account under his own company, NetworkingPlus. He linked these accounts to his personal Bank of America accounts and transferred the fraudulent funds for personal use, including financing the construction of a house.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office further noted that Kapiris had a prior conviction for theft from a former employer and was on probation when he committed the crimes against the nonprofit.
As part of the proceedings, the government seized and sold property purchased with the stolen funds. Kapiris’ sentence sends a clear message about the serious consequences of embezzling from charitable organizations, especially when the funds are intended to support vulnerable individuals.
