Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DYLAN MEISSNER, 31, of Westport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for stealing more than $4 million from his former employer.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Meissner was employed at a cryptocurrency research firm as Vice President of Finance with access to the firm’s cryptocurrency wallets and bank accounts. In approximately January 2022, Meissner obtained a 50 Ethereum (approximately $170,000) loan from his employer, stating that he would use the funds in an attempt to avoid a substantial loss in certain cryptocurrency investments he had made using his personal funds. Then, from February 2022 until his termination in November 2022, in continued attempts to counteract significant personal trading losses, Meissner fraudulently diverted his employer’s funds to his own use and covered up his conduct through false entries in the firm’s books and records. Through this scheme, Meissner stole approximately $4,461,828 from his employer.
Judge Shea ordered Meissner to pay restitution of $4,633,424.99, which includes the money he stole from his employer and the loan he failed to repay.
Meissner, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on February 21.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.