Saugus couple accused of fraud

SAUGUS – A Saugus couple who own a sober living facility in Salem is accused of embezzling $25,000 from three people, including a person living in the home trying to get clean, and possessing two pounds of marijuana, police said.Michael and Vincenza Viola, both 45, of 4 Butterfield Road, were arrested Friday on six counts of larceny and three counts of identity fraud. They are scheduled for arraignment today in Salem District Court.The couple owns St. Jean’s House, a sober living facility at 17 Salem St., Salem. They purchased the home within the past year and allegedly used the two previous owners’ identities as well as a third person – a resident of the home – to open several credit cards and make $25,000 in purchases since mid-January, Salem Police Lt. Tom Griffin said.”It was around $25,000 by the time we got the credit card companies to stop the transactions about a week ago,” Griffin said Monday.The investigation began when one of the previous owners told police someone used his identity to make fraudulent credit card purchases. It was after police viewed surveillance tapes of the stores where the credit cards had been traced that detectives closed in on the Violas, police said.”[Detectives] pulled a number of different videos from stores and were able to see him and his wife making the purchases,” Griffin said.The couple purchased everything from gasoline for their cars and groceries to a flat screen television and sprinkler systems for the sober living home, police said.According to Saugus Detective Fred Forni, police searched the Viola’s home late Friday morning and discovered about two pounds of marijuana. He said the husband will be summonsed to Lynn District Court to face the pot charges.The Viola’s arrest came one week after they agreed with Salem city officials to install sprinkler systems in order for the home to increase its number of tenants from six to 14, according to police and newspaper reports. Griffin said the fraudulent purchases included the new sprinklers and heating equipment that were recently installed.