Stefan Pildes can probably expect a lump of coal in his stocking this Christmas.
Pildes, who’s the organizer of New York City’s infamous SantaCon, has been arrested for federal wire fraud charges.
SantaCon encourages revelers to dress up as the bearded Christmas mascot while enjoying a citywide bar crawl. While billed as “a charitable, non-political, nonsensical Santa Claus convention that happens once a year to spread absurdist joy,” SantaCon is dreaded among locals who feel it leads to excessive public drunkenness, broken glass and vomit.
As it turns out, the “charitable” part might also be misleading. According to federal prosecutors, Pildes diverted over half of the $3 million he raised through SantaCon for his own personal use, spending the money instead on concert tickets and vacations.
Pildes faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, as well as a lifetime ban from Santa’s nice list.