Ex-Boston Grand Prix Executive John Casey Charged In Fraud, Tax Scheme

BOSTON (AP) — The former chief financial officer of the Boston Grand Prix has been charged in a scheme to defraud financing companies who gave him money for ice rink he owned, federal authorities said Tuesday.

The U.S. attorney's office said John F. Casey of Ipswich has been indicted on eight counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, three counts of money laundering and three counts of filing false tax returns.

An email was sent to a public defender listed as Casey's attorney in court records.

Authorities said Casey got nearly $750,000 from financing companies, claiming he needed money for equipment at the rink he owned in Peabody, by submitting fake invoices, falsely inflated personal and corporate tax returns and other things. He also got $145,000 in small business loans for the ice rink more than two months after he sold the rink, prosecutors said.

Authorities said most of the money that was loaned to Casey was never repaid. Officials say he laundered the money he got from the fraud scheme.

Prosecutors also said Casey was paid more than $300,000 in 2015 and $600,000 in 2016 by the Boston Grand Prix organization but failed to include that in the gross income he claimed on his personal tax income.

He's expected to make an appearance in Boston federal court on Tuesday.

Boston Grand Prix planned an IndyCar race in the city in 2016 but the event was ultimately canceled. Organizers said the city made unreasonable demands, while city officials said the race course group was disorganized.

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