E.P. man pleads guilty to wire fraud

PROVIDENCE (AP) — The former finance director of a Providence nonprofit group has agreed to plead guilty to wire fraud on allegations he stole more than $500,000 from the organization.

Authorities say Charles Denno, 66, of East Providence, agreed to a plea bargain in a document filed Thursday in federal court in Providence. There is no agreement yet on a sentence. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised probation, and a fine of up to $250,000.

Denno is the former finance director of the Providence Plan. Authorities say he embezzled the money from 2012 to 2016 by writing checks from the organization to CMG Enterprises, a company he owned. The money, according to a release from Peter F. Neronha, U.S. Attorney for Rhode Island, was withdrawn from the CMG account via credit card and check payments and ATM cash withdrawals at Twin River Casino.

The Providence Plan analyzes data for government agencies and community groups. It also runs educational and job training initiatives. The organization receives more than $4 million annually in federal grants, in addition to state and private grant funds, including from the U.S. Department of Education and the Bloomberg Family Foundation.

Denno's lawyer, Kevin Bristow, says Denno is accepting responsibility and had reasons for what he did. Bristow declined to elaborate.