"Ex-Conn. town official pleads guilty to larceny" by John Christoffersen | Associated Press, January 25, 2014
NEW HAVEN — The former finance director of a small Connecticut town pleaded guilty Friday to larceny charges stemming from the theft of more than $2 million, a prosecutor said.
Henry Centrella Jr. entered the plea to five counts of first-degree larceny in Litchfield Superior Court, said Litchfield State’s Attorney David Shepack. Centrella stole about $2.1 million over several years from the town of Winchester, Shepack said.
A message left for Centrella’s lawyer was not immediately returned.
The theft was so severe that the town had to impose a tax increase that cost the average taxpayer about $300, said Mayor Lisa Smith, who was elected in November. She said the town, which has a population of about 11,000, was struggling to pay its bills and meet payrolls when she took office.
‘‘It was a serious financial impact to the town and the taxpayers,’’ Smith said, adding the town is recovering and focusing on the future….
Authorities said Centrella and his wife had gambling losses of more than $500,000 from 2008 through 2012, citing records from casinos including Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods in Connecticut.
Oh, that's great, especially with casinos coming here.
Centrella also was sending about $1,000 per month to a woman in Florida he had met at a casino, according to his arrest affidavit. The woman told authorities that he said he was divorced and they became engaged in 2009 and that they looked at houses in Florida of up to $1 million.
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