SCTV chairman suspects former employee of $50G transfer

SAUGUS – A former employee of Saugus Community Television hacked into the company’s two online bank accounts and transferred money to cover expenses incurred by the Saugus Cable Television Station, according to SCTV Chairman James Ravagno.He said that the accounts became compromised after SCTV received a court order from the town, dated Sept. 10, forcing Ravagno to cease business operations and terminate his five employees.”We notified our people not to touch the accounts,” he said.However, this instruction was not heeded.”Somebody moved 50 grand from one account to the other,” said Ravagno. “I don’t know who did it.”He said all he knows is that the suspect is now a current town employee at SCTS.After further research, Ravagno discovered that approximately $6,000 from the initial transfer was used to cover employee salaries and overhead costs.Treasurer Janice Jarosz was equally perplexed.”They were able to use a computer at SCTV without authority,” she said.Jarosz explained that the company’s bank, Webster Federal Credit Union, has locked the accounts. A court order is now required for anyone except Jarosz to access the money.SCTV’s lawyer, Jeffrey Mazer, sent a letter to attorney Ira Zaleznik, who has been representing the town in the ongoing legal proceedings against SCTV.”On or about Sept. 24, 2014, the town of Saugus unlawfully accessed SCTV’s bank accounts, transferring funds online,” Mazer said in his Oct. 1 letter.Mazer added that “while it is appalling that the town would unlawfully gain access to SCTV’s accounts without authorization, it is even more atrocious that the town would gain access to SCTV’s funds.””SCTV will take any and all legal action available, including all civil and criminal remedies, to obtain redress for this egregious conduct,” he said. Under state law, the unauthorized access of an online bank account is punishable by two and a half years in prison and/or a $3,000 fine.In addition, Ravagno filed an Open Meeting Law complaint against Vice Chairman Maureen Dever, Selectman Stephen Castinetti and Selectman Paul Allan for violating the Open Meeting Law when they held an emergency meeting on Sept. 24 to discuss SCTS payroll. Ravagno added that the meeting was held without public notification.Chairman Ellen Faiella and Selectman Debra Panetta were not listed on the complaint as they did not attend the meeting.Ravagno said that these wrongdoings can only be remedied if the board agrees to void any votes that were taken at the meeting and issues a public apology.”The Saugus Board of Selectmen clearly, intentionally violated M.G.L. c. 30A, sec. 18-25, as they acted with deliberate ignorance of the law’s requirements,” said Ravagno in the complaint to the attorney general’s office.Ravagno said he was notified by Police Lt. David Gecoya that this is a civil matter that can only be resolved in court, not by the police. Therefore, Ravagno said the court will decide whether or not SCTS employees will have to forfeit the paychecks that were granted by the selectmen at the Sept. 24 meeting.