Connecticut

Connecticut Man Defrauded NESN Out Of Over $575K, Prosecutors Say

Published

2 years ago

February 28, 2024

Connecticut Man Defrauded NESN Out Of Over 5K, Prosecutors Say

BOSTON, MA — A Connecticut man was sentenced to more than three years in prison for defrauding his former employer, New England Sports Network (NESN), out of over $575,000, according to prosecutors.

Ariel Legassa, 52, was ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $580,000 and a $1,000 special assessment. He will serve 42 months in prison and three years of supervised release.

Last year, he was convicted of seven counts of mail fraud and three counts of unlawful monetary transactions following a five-day jury trial.

Legassa was accused of orchestrating a scheme to defraud NESN from December 2020 to January 2022. He negotiated a contract with a New York company to provide web development services for NESN. He then created a fake business under the same name as the new vendor, prosecutors said, using this company to receive fraudulent payments from NESN.

In total, NESN paid Legassa’s fake company over $500,000. Legassa spent the funds on personal expenses, including a private plane, a Tesla, a BMW, a Land Rover, and credit card bills, according to prosecutors. He also transferred the funds into other accounts under his control.

“Supplementing your paycheck by scamming your employer is a really bad career move,” Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, said in a statement. “But Ariel Legassa did exactly that, taking advantage of the trust NESN placed in him to steal over $575,000 which he used to fund a lavish lifestyle. Justice demands that financial fraudsters like Legassa be held accountable for their crimes and today’s sentence ensures that he will pay for what he did with prison time and restitution.”

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Connecticut

Multiple cars involved in crash on I-84 in Hartford

Published

12 hours ago

March 4, 2026

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Multiple cars involved in crash on I-84 in Hartford

A multi-vehicle crash temporarily close Interstate 84 on Tuesday night.

The crash happened around 8:30 p.m. and involved four cars, according to the Hartford Fire Department.

Fire crews arrived at the scene and helped one of the drivers who was trapped. The driver was then taken to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment.

Four other people reported minor injuries but declined ambulance treatment at the scene, officials said.

I-84 East was temporarily shut down as crews responded but has since reopened.

The Connecticut State Police is investigating the crash.

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Connecticut

Sleet, freezing rain leading to treacherous travel in parts of Connecticut

Published

24 hours ago

March 3, 2026

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Sleet, freezing rain leading to treacherous travel in parts of Connecticut

As the snow turns to sleet and freezing rain in parts of the state this afternoon, it is causing some treacherous travel on Connecticut roads.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation is reporting several crashes.

There are crashes on both sides of Interstate 691 in Meriden.

A tractor-trailer jackknifed on the eastbound side of I-691 between Exit 5 and 3, closing the left lane. On the westbound side, a single-vehicle crash closed the left lane.

There is a two-vehicle crash on I-91 North in Middletown between Exits 20 and 21. The left and center lanes are closed.

A multi-vehicle crash has closed lanes of I-84 East in Waterbury between Exits 25 and 25A. There is a second crash on I-84 East in Southington near Exit 30.

In Cromwell, a two-vehicle crash closed the right lane of Route 9 North in Cromwell.

On Route 9 South, a crash closed a lane on the southbound side.

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Connecticut

The Great Westport Sandwich Contest kicks off with event at Old Mill Grocery

Published

2 days ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

The Great Westport Sandwich Contest kicks off with event at Old Mill Grocery

People in Westport have the chance to pick the best thing between sliced bread.

The Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce held a kick-off event at Old Mill Grocery on Monday for The Great Westport Sandwich Contest.

The contest runs throughout March with 21 restaurants, delis and markets competing in 10 categories to be crowned the best sandwich maker.

Residents can vote in the following categories: Best chicken, best steak, best vegetarian, best combo, best club, best NY deli, best pressed sandwich, best breakfast sandwich, best wrap, and best fish/seafood sandwich.

After people sample sandwiches, they can vote for their favorites in each category on the chamber’s website. They will also be placed into a drawing to win a free sandwich from one of the 10 winners.

“Of course, the goal is to have people come to Westport and check out restaurants, our markets and our delis. This is a great promotion. I mean it is a competition, but mostly it’s to bring people to the restaurants. It also gives a great community activity because they are the ones who get to vote who makes the best one,” says Matthew Mandell, the chamber’s executive director.

Winners will be announced in April and receive a plaque.

The chamber has held similar contests to determine what establishment has the best pizza, burger, soup and salad.

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