SantaCon Founder Charged in $1 Million Charity Fraud

Federal prosecutors have accused the founder of SantaCon New York of stealing more than $1 million from the event's charity donations. Stefan Pildes allegedly took more than half of all donations collected over five years for the annual bar crawl, according to a new court filing. The event, where thousands dress as Santa Claus, is promoted as a fundraiser for charity. Prosecutors state that Pildes "siphoned" the money for his personal use. The alleged fraud occurred from 2013 to 2018. SantaCon New York is a large, rowdy pub crawl through Manhattan. It has faced criticism for public disturbances but has consistently advertised a portion of its ticket sales as charitable donations. The charges against Pildes are part of a wider fraud case. He has pleaded not guilty to separate federal charges of defrauding investors in a different scheme.