KINGSTON MAN INDICTED ON CHARGES HE DEFRAUDED HIS DAUGHTER

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: United States Attorney Tom Colantuono announced that David Burns, age 42 and formerly of Kingston, New Hampshire, was arraigned in U.S. District Court on wire fraud charges. Burns, who was indicted by a federal Grand Jury on June 13, 2007, was arraigned on Wednesday of this week. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and trial was set for August 7, 2007. Burns was ordered held without bail pending the trial.

The Indictment alleges that between May 28, 1999 and April 22, 2003, Burns, while being the primary custodial parent of a minor child who had suffered brain damage as a result of medical negligence during birth, did fraudulently cause money that had been awarded to the child in a medical negligence lawsuit, and which was being held for the benefit of the minor child, to be wire transferred from a bank in Massachusetts to banks in New Hampshire over which Burns exercised control, directly and indirectly. The Indictment also alleges that during that time period Burns caused more than $1.6 million dollars of that money to be transferred and that more than $1.1 million was subsequently withdrawn in cash. The Indictment additionally alleges that Burns used money for his personal benefit, and not the benefit of the minor child, including for attorneys fees, drug rehabilitation, race cars, bail on criminal charges and funeral expenses.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office and the Kingston, New Hampshire Police Department.

An indictment merely alleges that a crime has been committed and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.