Hartford claws back some Dillon Stadium money

The city of Hartford has recovered more money that was stolen by former would-be developers of Dillon Stadium, both of whom have since been imprisoned, Mayor Luke Bronin announced Wednesday.

The city said it would recover $110,000 from funds that were previously held by Mitchell Anderson’s attorney, as well as $50,000 in a settlement with a Florida contractor that issued false paperwork.

That $160,000 is in addition to a previously announced $350,000 recovered from a Rocky Hill insurer that had issued a fake coverage certificate.

The $510,000 that has been recovered covers a portion of the more than $1 million in city funds that Anderson and his business partner James Duckett redirected to themselves, according to the Connecticut U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Anderson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud and one count of conducting illegal monetary transactions, and recently reported to a halfway house for a six-month sentence, the Hartford Courant reported. He was ordered to pay more than $1.1 million in restitution as part of his agreement.

A jury found Duckett guilty of  one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and eight counts of conducting illegal monetary transactions, and he received a three-year sentence. Bronin said the city expects the court to issue a restitution order to him as well, but the city doesn’t expect either man to be able to pay.

Source: Hartford Business