NAUGHTY LIST

SantaCon Founder Accused of $1 Million Fraud Scheme

The founder is accused of funneling more than half of the charity’s proceeds over the last five years.

The founder of SantaCon has been hit with federal wire fraud charges after prosecutors say he turned a supposedly charitable holiday tradition into his own personal piggy bank. Pildes, who created the booze filled December bar crawl where crowds dress as Santa and rampage through New York City, allegedly funneled more than $1 million in donations meant for charity, according to the indictment. The events, marketed as a charitable Santa convention and registered as a 501(c)(3), raised nearly $3 million over the last five years. But prosecutors say only a “small fraction” ever reached actual charities. Instead, a Manhattan federal indictment accuses Pildes of funneling more than half the funds into a personal slush fund “to finance various personal ventures.” Those endeavors reportedly included concert tickets, luxury restaurant tabs, and vacations to Hawaii, Las Vegas, and Vail—along with renovations to a lakefront property in New Jersey and the purchase of a high-end vehicle. Pildes is expected back in court on Wednesday as the case moves forward, according to ABC. He has not issued a plea yet in the case.