The former president of a Systemax TigerDirect, was indicted in New York federal court on seven counts of fraud and money laundering charges.
Carl Fiorentino took more than $7 million in bribes and kickbacks in exchange for steering more than $230 million in business to Taiwanese and California companies.
The cash was used to buy an $8 million residence, furnishings for the home and pay his credit card bills, tennis lessons and the use of a hip-hop production company.
He is bailed on a million dollar bond.
Fiorentino worked for Sytemax from 1995 through May 2011 and he was the president of TigerDirect, its computer and electronics unit. His job was to pick suppliers and approve the quantity of the gear his outfit used.
However Fiorentino entered into an illegal agreement with the owner of a Taiwanese company to steer TigerDirect’s business his way in exchange for $6.5 million in bribes and kickbacks.
In addition, he received another $570,000 from a California-based company to do something similar.
Fiorentino concealed the scheme by submitting false conflict of interest forms to Systemax and using a web of shell companies and wire transfers.
Systemax claimed that the indictment has no effect on the company or its management. However it came to light after a 2011 internal whistleblower probe which led to Fiorentino’s sacking.
