Marc Anthony was allegedly robbed of at least $2.5 million by an employee at a New York accounting firm. The staffer, who has been charged with first-degree grand larceny, allegedly used his employment at the company to access the singer’s accounts and steal money.
Kyle Tessiero reportedly had access to both Anthony’s bank accounts and credit cards. The scheme was apparently two-fold: Use the performer’s American Express card to rack up expenses, and then pay the credit card bill through the money in the bank accounts. Tessiero began working for the accounting company in 2007, but is accused of starting the illegal behavior in 2009 and continuing through this year.
And in the last four years alone, Tessiero allegedly charged a whopping $2.5 million to Anthony’s card, with the purchases reportedly funding a luxurious lifestyle in New York City. But through an internal review at the firm, an audit exposed the financial malpractice. According to TMZ, Tessiero was caught in August. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.
It’s unclear why Anthony himself did not notice the irregular spending associated with his accounts, but it’s possible he took a hands-off approach, under the belief that his money was being properly managed. In fact, the firm where this occurred specifically caters to celebrities, and Tessiero worked on projects for other stars, including Justin Timberlake. And at the same time Anthony has apparently been scammed out of millions, he’s busy donating his time and money to the recovery efforts in Puerto Rico.
