Life isn’t so magical anymore.
An Army contractor and his girlfriend defrauded the government of nearly $500,000 to take dozens of lavish vacations to Walt Disney World while claiming they were traveling for work.
Thomas Bouchard, 61, used his government connections to get his girlfriend, Cantelle Boyd, 53, hired for a “no-show” job as his assistant so they could take numerous vacations — including 31 trips to Disney World in Orlando, Fla. — they claimed were work-related, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
The elaborate scheme cost the Department of Defense more than $490,000, prosecutors said.
Bouchard, who was in charge of the US Army Natick Contracting Division in Massachusetts, used his “long-standing relationship” with government contractor Evolution Enterprise Inc., to have Boyd hired as an assistant to support him.
Boyd was paid a government salary of $487,658 and performed “little if any useful function” from 2014 to 2018, costing the government an extra $75,583 in travel expenses, prosecutors said.
The couple booked vacations ranging from two to 15 days under the guise they were work-related, and their travels — which were done during business hours — included staying at hotels, lounging by the pool and visiting Disney parks.
In addition to Disney, the couple also traveled to Virginia and other Florida locations.
Prosecutors said Bouchard concealed the nature of their trips and sought reimbursement by falsifying and then approving expense records.
Federal authorities arrested the couple in July 2020, and they each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and 10 counts of theft of government funds and false declarations.
Bouchard was sentenced on Aug. 5 to one year and one day in prison and is required to pay $487,658 in restitution.
“Those of us who are privileged to work in public service owe a duty to the taxpayers to act with integrity at all times,” Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy said of Bouchard in a news release.
“This defendant clearly failed in adhering to this solemn oath and abused his position of trust to line his own pockets, hire a friend into a phantom position and enjoy junkets all on the taxpayer’s dime. He will now pay the price for his inexcusable conduct.”
Boyd was sentenced to six months of home confinement on Oct. 2.
Prosecutors — who recommended a six-month jail sentence — said Boyd is required to pay restitution “at a later date.”
