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A 51-year-old woman from Waterford will spend two years behind bars for stealing from a Norwich-based organization that helps communities in eastern Connecticut reduce the impact of behavioral health challenges, according to authorities.
Michele Devine, who was executive director of the nonprofit Southeastern Regional Action Council on Substance Abuse Inc. (SERAC) until July 2022, spent about $400,000 of the group’s money – mostly from state and federal grants – on personal expenses for herself and her family, including to purchase and install a new washer, dryer and refrigerator in her home.
SERAC, which has 11 employees, aims to help 41 towns in its region address substance use, problem gambling and mental health-related issues.
Devine collected a salary of $109,976 in 2021, according to the nonprofit’s 2022 tax filing. She received a reduced salary in 2022, the year of her arrest.
SERAC reported $1.3 million in revenue in 2022 along with $1.4 million in expenses. Also that year, $622,166 was earmarked for employee salaries, according to the nonprofit’s 2023 filing.
Authorities believe Devine’s scheme ran for about 14 years.
During that time, she made large outlays for vacations, including a stay at the Canyon Ranch Lenox resort in the Berkshires, and a trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Devine further used SERAC funds to bankroll a scrapbook convention with her friends, and purchase a timeshare at Water’s Edge Resort in Westbrook, according to court documents.
To conceal her activity, Devine submitted altered receipts to SERAC, which made it appear that some of the expenditures were for families in need, authorities said.
For example, Devine told investigators that the appliances were “inadvertently installed” in her home, court documents state.
Authorities also believe Devine used funds to load more than $4,500 onto a Dunkin’ card. Other purchases included groceries, crafting supplies, a Segway, gas grill, snow tube, 3D laser printer and an air fryer, according to the documents.
“The list of over more than a decade of the defendant’s thefts is seemingly endless,” the government’s sentencing memorandum states.
The memo notes that Devine’s actions harmed the very people her organization aims to help.
“The defendant labels herself to professionally be a ‘specialist on the topic’ of suicide prevention, yet stole money destined for those very programs,” the memo states. “Rarely does the court see a theft ‘motivated by pure greed’ that impacts a population with problems so well known to the defendant and for which the defendant has a professional responsibility to provide care.”
Prosecutors asked for a "significant term of incarceration,” adding that it “should be clear that if an individual steals money when they have a professional responsibility to use those funds for the care of individuals with challenges, they will go to prison.”
Devine requested leniency based on her record of public service, lack of prior criminal convictions and her family situation (she provides care for her aging parents).
Devine was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 24 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
In addition, she was ordered to pay $397,064 in restitution and a $2,000 fine, and to perform 300 hours of community service while on supervised release.
Devine was arrested on Aug. 3, 2023. On Oct. 21, 2024, she pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
Devine, who was released on a $25,000 bond, will report to federal prison on March 12.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with help from the New London State’s Attorney’s Office and state Office of the Attorney General.
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The Hartford Business Journal 2025 Charity Event Guide is the annual resource publication highlighting the top charity events in 2025.
Hartford Business Journal provides the top coverage of news, trends, data, politics and personalities of the area’s business community. Get the news and information you need from the award-winning writers at HBJ. Don’t miss out - subscribe today.
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