A manufacturing supervisor working at a jewelry factory in the United States has been accused of embezzling over $1 million worth of gold, silver, and platinum over a period exceeding three years.
Benjamin Preacher, aged 54 and residing in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, has been formally charged via a criminal complaint with a single count of engaging in unlawful monetary transactions linked to thefts.
According to the allegations, Preacher leveraged his position within the Rhode Island facility to pilfer precious metals, subsequently offloading them to various businesses across Massachusetts.
Although the company’s identity remains undisclosed in court records, Preacher self-identifies on his LinkedIn profile as a Lean Manufacturing Supervisor at Tiffany & Co., claiming tenure since August 2018.
Prosecutors contend that Preacher maintained a regular pattern of selling stolen precious metals to a metals dealer based in Canton, with transactions occurring approximately once or twice monthly, cumulatively amounting to over $1 million, as per statements from the US Attorney’s Office.
Specific instances of alleged sales include $50,521 worth of 18-carat gold in March 2020; $21,821 encompassing 18-carat gold, “Platinum scrap,” and “Sterling” in April 2021; and $30,939 in platinum in January 2022.
Moreover, it is claimed that Preacher conducted transactions with a separate metals dealer in West Bridgewater, selling over $177,000 in stolen precious metals between May 16, 2023, and November 16, 2023. These sales purportedly included gold sheets integral to Preacher’s employer’s machinery, which he allegedly purloined and sold, alongside other gold scrap, netting nearly $21,000.
