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News & Current Events Apr 16, 2026 at 12:15 PM

SantaCon organizer charged for allegedly spending charity money on personal expenses

Posted by AudibleNod

SantaCon organizer charged for allegedly spending charity money on personal expenses
ABC News
SantaCon organizer charged for allegedly spending charity money on personal expenses
The organizer of New York City's SantaCon was arrested Wednesday on federal wire fraud charges related to money raised during the controversial annual event.
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33 Comments

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brokenman82 Apr 16, 2026 +51
SantaCon was a fundraiser? I witnessed it once in NYC and all I saw was a bunch of sloppy drunk Santas
51
slytherinprolly Apr 16, 2026 +40
I'm an attorney, I used to work criminal defense but have mostly gotten out of it. Anyway the Cincinnati Santa Con always gets me a handful of new cases from friends and colleagues whose drunken adult children get arrested for drunken tomfoolery. It's a nice revenue stream. I've seen a lot of body camera video of sloppy drunk Santas driving or fighting each other, or stealing the cop's hat off his head...
40
funktopus Apr 16, 2026 +11
I live there and won't go near Stanta Con. It makes me glad I no longer work at a bar.
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TheGringoDingo Apr 16, 2026 +3
I drove by once, not aware SantaCon was a thing. I looked at my wife and said “is it just me or are there a lot of Santas out here” as we drove by like 50 of them.
3
Bloagie Apr 16, 2026 +2
You saw a Yule Tide.
2
compuwiza1 Apr 16, 2026 +95
He spent it all on ho ho hoes.
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SpiceEarl Apr 16, 2026 +41
What’s everyone complaining about? He said he gave the money to Charity. What she does with the money is her business.
41
starrpamph Apr 16, 2026 +1
What a ding dong
1
AudibleNod Apr 16, 2026 +59
>Stefan Pildes, 50, is facing federal wire fraud charges that accuse him of siphoning hundreds of thousands of dollars in charitable funds for his own use, including for concert tickets and vacations. It sleighs me that people think just because they operate a charity they're exempt from all the legal clauses any other business has to follow.
59
MediumPotato Apr 16, 2026 +28
Why do I feel like you made this post just to drop this pun lol?
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AudibleNod Apr 16, 2026 +15
It's tough finding a 'good news' news story. When I'm gifted with an article such as this, I'll bow to social convention and wrap it up in a pun. But only when the opportunity presents itself.
15
New_Housing785 Apr 16, 2026 +10
Don't complain because Christmas came early.
10
Xerathedark Apr 16, 2026 +4
Shit is that why she calls me Christmas?
4
SteveHarveysFace Apr 16, 2026 +5
Are we even gonna get anything now? Cuz I didn't ask for that.
5
RazZadig_2025 Apr 16, 2026 +2
Now, now. No Claus for alarm.
2
SandhogDig Apr 16, 2026
Bad Santa-Claws$$$$.
0
Mbaker1201 Apr 16, 2026 +7
Its got “Con” in the title…
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AwesomeX121189 Apr 16, 2026 +5
Least surprising thing I’ve heard today
5
naththegrath10 Apr 16, 2026 +21
Cool. Now go after all the private equity executives
21
antaresiv Apr 16, 2026 +3
It’s right in the name: “con”
3
Andovars_Ghost Apr 16, 2026 +4
Welp, wasn’t expecting \*Santa\* to be on the ‘Naughty’ list!
4
murd3rsaurus Apr 16, 2026 +4
I honestly would've been a little disappointed if there wasn't some kind of financial crime involved with the drunk santa swarms
4
crimson_teacup Apr 16, 2026 +15
SantaCon turning into SantaCon-job, huh. This is why charities should have fully public yearly breakdowns of income/expenses online. If your “nonprofit” can quietly fund vacations, something’s already broken.
15
Gamer_Grease Apr 16, 2026 +4
Most of them that are of decent size actually do have this. The rest still have to file a 990 form with the IRS, that is less granular, but reports what they spent the money on by broad category, and what the netted over the year, and what the highest paid people earned.
4
judgejuddhirsch Apr 16, 2026 +6
How presidential of him
6
GatoLibre Apr 16, 2026 +3
It’s almost like every business, charity and institution in this country is insanely corrupt because of a never ending thirst for money.
3
LogicallLunacy Apr 17, 2026 +2
Honesty.... I'm glad he didn't get caught with kiddy p***. This feels very light for the current time we are surrounded by.
2
Much-Pumpkin-3706 Apr 16, 2026 +3
Hundreds and thousands of dollars? That’s a lot of milk and cookies.
3
PigFarmer1 Apr 16, 2026 +1
Chump change compared to what the Trump administration does.
1
bestowaldonkey8 Apr 16, 2026 +1
Santa gives presents to needy children every year. Poppa needs to get his beak wet every now and then.
1
k8ecat Apr 16, 2026 +1
It is only one of the many various Santa Cons. They are not related to each other and are all run by different people.
1
Mageborn23 Apr 16, 2026 +1
I don't blame him it's hard out there
1
NY2GA23 Apr 19, 2026 +1
Isn’t this the same thing trump does with taxpayer money?
1
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