A federal jury convicted Samuel N. Montronde, 39, of wire fraud after his role in a $2.3 million scheme to defraud Takeda Pharmaceutical Company. Montronde and his girlfriend, Priya Bhambi, a former senior Takeda employee, set up a fake consulting firm called Evoluzione Consulting LLC in February 2022. Bhambi, using her position at Takeda, submitted false invoices for services that were never provided, leading to fraudulent payments totaling over $2.3 million.
To make their scheme appear legitimate, the defendants created a fake website, posted fake blogs, and invented a fictional employee named “Jasmine” to handle communications. Between March and May 2022, they submitted five invoices worth $460,000 each. When Takeda staff questioned the services provided, Bhambi misrepresented the facts, causing the company to unknowingly pay the invoices before the fraud was discovered and Bhambi was terminated.
Montronde used the illicit funds to purchase luxury items such as a Mercedes-Benz, a $1.9 million condo in Boston, an engagement ring, freightliner trucks, and paid a $50,000 deposit for a wedding venue. Bhambi, who pleaded guilty to the fraud scheme, was sentenced to 46 months in prison and ordered to pay $2.6 million in restitution in October 2024.
Montronde’s sentencing is pending, but his conviction highlights the serious consequences of corporate fraud.
