$1M lottery winner admits stealing from cancer-stricken brother's business

Jul 19, 2015, 9:29 am (20 comments)

Massachusetts Lottery

BROCKTON, Mass. — When Manuel Buginga found out his sister had been embezzling money from his Brockton construction business for years he didn't know what to do.

Buginga said he was even more shocked to learn that she increased the amount she had been stealing after she found out he had been diagnosed with cancer and also after she won $1 million on a scratch ticket just two months prior.

In March 2012, Buginga was diagnosed with advanced lymphoma. With the news of his cancer he went to review his bank accounts for the business to see where he stood financially and said they were virtually empty.

His sister, Maria Pereira, 55, of 3 Wallace St., Berkley was the bookkeeper for the company, MJM Construction on Main Street in Brockton, a successful business that Buginga had built from the ground up.

In total, Pereira was alleged to have stolen $1.6 million from the company from 2009 to 2012.

On Friday she pleaded guilty in Brockton Superior Court to larceny over $250 by a single scheme as part of a plea deal to have 15 other charges against her dropped.

"She accelerated after she found out I was sick," Buginga, 38, of Bridgewater said. He underwent months of treatments and has now been cancer free since October 2012.

As part of the plea deal on Friday, Pereira was sentenced to 5 years probation and was ordered to pay $103,757 in restitution. She had been facing 5 years in prison.

Despite Buginga's best efforts to explain the situation to his vendors, many of which stood by his side, his business was ruined as he took time to deal with his cancer.

After winning the lottery Jan. 31 2012 and taking a lump sum of $455,000 after taxes, Pereira put several thousand dollars back into the business to try and cover her tracks, Buginga said.

With the money she bought motorcycles, custom closets and paid for vacations, Plymouth County Assistant District Attorney Russ Eonas said.

Pereira twisted and fidgeted with a ring on her finger and writhed her hands together throughout the hearing in front of Judge Cornelius Moriarty. Her cell phone buzzed loudly multiple times during the hearing, for which she apologized.

"It's clear that Ms. Pereira has engaged in extraordinarily disgraceful conduct," Moriarty said. "She's stolen from her brother who placed her in a position of trust and she stole from him when he was sick."

Moriarty said he only allowed the plea, instead of the case going to trial as planned on Monday, because Buginga accepted the terms.

"This case was never about restitution. It's not about the money. It's about his reputation, his family, his community, his business contacts and the like," said Eonas, who was very confident he would have won had the case gone to trial.

After the hearing was over, Pereira walked straight to the door and did not look at her brother.

As part of her probation, she must not have any contact with Buginga or his wife and two kids, ages 7 and 9.

Buginga said he would prefer it that way.

He called her a "scam artist" and an "absolute scumbag" and said it was not the first time she had been accused of stealing.

Pereira told Moriarty said she is employed as a tax preparer for N & J Tax & Bookkeeping at 404 New State Highway in Raynham.

She agreed to pay $1,000 per week to Buginga until the $103,575 is paid off.

"Where that money comes from is the big question," Buginga said.

As a result of the plea deal, Buginga may never see the rest of the money Pereira was alleged to have stolen. He has a civil case against Pereira pending in Brockton District Court.

"I accepted the deal because I just want closure to this. I want people to know that she's guilty," Buginga said.

Despite his setbacks, Buginga has been able to rebuild his company which is doing better than ever.

"I'm just happy to put this all behind me for me and my family," he said.

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The Enterprise

Comments

Bleudog101

This story really sickened me.  Seems like brother did what I would do...disowned her.  Karma is a you know what and will bite her and he won't be there to rescue her.

On a side note, look out Massachusetts..coming home to get my Season Tickets which are on sale sans Powerball.  Printed up all the grand prizes claimed $1Million so will know which scratch tickets to play.

 

My Ottoball is in the luggage.

GiveFive's avatarGiveFive

Quote: Originally posted by Bleudog101 on Jul 19, 2015

This story really sickened me.  Seems like brother did what I would do...disowned her.  Karma is a you know what and will bite her and he won't be there to rescue her.

On a side note, look out Massachusetts..coming home to get my Season Tickets which are on sale sans Powerball.  Printed up all the grand prizes claimed $1Million so will know which scratch tickets to play.

 

My Ottoball is in the luggage.

Look out you dont get hammered by "TAX-a-chusetts"! She netted $455,000 out of a million dollar scratch off win. 

No doubt she's a scum-bag. 

I got a good chuckle out of his comment regarding her paying him $1,000 week restitution: "Where that money comes from is the big question." 

Yeah!  Who'd she steal that money from????

music*'s avatarmusic*

My bet is on her being addicted to something like gambling, drugs, etc...Mad

These bad winners make the news while good ones remain anonymous. If it bleeds it leads. There are more honest and trustworthy winners then bad ones.

Bleudog101

Quote: Originally posted by GiveFive on Jul 19, 2015

Look out you dont get hammered by "TAX-a-chusetts"! She netted $455,000 out of a million dollar scratch off win. 

No doubt she's a scum-bag. 

I got a good chuckle out of his comment regarding her paying him $1,000 week restitution: "Where that money comes from is the big question." 

Yeah!  Who'd she steal that money from????

I don't get that, tax rate same in KY and you get $690K on a million.  However thinking about it if you take the cash option on a million, which she probably did, then you are correct.  Read somewhere is is lower than $455K though.

Bleudog101

Mea culpa..Massachusetts is 5%; Kentucky is 6% state tax.  Thank you jackpot analysis for setting me right!

HoLeeKau's avatarHoLeeKau

I hope the judge put a garnishment on her salary at the tax prep place so he'll at least get some of his cash back.  I think there's a limit to how much can be garnished tho, isn't there?  Something like 25% of gross?  And I doubt tax preparers make all that much to begin with.

That's one cold skank, stealing from her own brother, and even worse, when he could have been dying.

Teddi's avatarTeddi

Seems her lawyer was better than the prosecutor. How was a no jail time option even on the table? And a restitution of less than 10¢ on the dollar? The whole decision was way too lenient. I don't know why but I get the feeling this brother would have been willing to help her if she'd told him she was in trouble. She on the other hand was banking on him dying. Instead of taking care of the business while he was sick so that his wife and children could count on an income from the business in case he did die, she stole even more. 

And yet, she's who the lotto gods blessed with a big win. Now there's some irony for ya. If that doesn't prove randomness nothing else will.

rcbbuckeye's avatarrcbbuckeye

Quote: Originally posted by Teddi on Jul 19, 2015

Seems her lawyer was better than the prosecutor. How was a no jail time option even on the table? And a restitution of less than 10¢ on the dollar? The whole decision was way too lenient. I don't know why but I get the feeling this brother would have been willing to help her if she'd told him she was in trouble. She on the other hand was banking on him dying. Instead of taking care of the business while he was sick so that his wife and children could count on an income from the business in case he did die, she stole even more. 

And yet, she's who the lotto gods blessed with a big win. Now there's some irony for ya. If that doesn't prove randomness nothing else will.

Her brother signed off on the deal. Just wanted to move past. He said it wasn't about the money.

I'm not sure I could as big as he is. As I sit here, I'm thinking for me it would be about the money. But, a person never really knows about some things until they're in that position.

Teddi's avatarTeddi

Quote: Originally posted by rcbbuckeye on Jul 19, 2015

Her brother signed off on the deal. Just wanted to move past. He said it wasn't about the money.

I'm not sure I could as big as he is. As I sit here, I'm thinking for me it would be about the money. But, a person never really knows about some things until they're in that position.

I get the brother just wanted to get on with his life, but it was the lawyers who brokered the deal to begin with. Had i been the prosecutor, I would have told her that any plea deal would involve jail time. I'm sick to death of these white collar criminals getting off with little more than slaps on the wrists. Hers wasn't even a one time offense. THREE YEARS. Then stole more when she thought he would die and she'd never get caught. That takes a special kind of sociopath.

mypiemaster's avatarmypiemaster

Obviously this individual has some problems of which kleptomania seems to be just one of them.

CDanaT's avatarCDanaT

Nice......really impressive to find a family member that would start actively stealing due to an illness & personal greed.....Talk about the lack of moral fiber!! What a U.P.o S.
Glad I have only a few family members that I fully trust (but would still verify their integrity)

gocart1's avatargocart1

Quote: Originally posted by CDanaT on Jul 19, 2015

Nice......really impressive to find a family member that would start actively stealing due to an illness & personal greed.....Talk about the lack of moral fiber!! What a U.P.o S.
Glad I have only a few family members that I fully trust (but would still verify their integrity)

I was always told to never go into business with family....I Agree!PartyUS FlagParty

Goteki54's avatarGoteki54

This woman is grade A scum!! There isn't a place hot enough in hell for her  to do justice for what she did.1.  Stealing is bad enough 2.  Stealing from your family is even worse but 3.   Stealing from a SICK family member which happens to be your brother is (lower then low can get)!Hit With StickNo No

myturn's avatarmyturn

Don't go into business with family members, or employ any family members, it often ends in tears.

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