BRIDGEPORT — Success Village Apartments, Inc. is a residential cooperative located in Bridgeport and Stratford, Connecticut. The complex comprises 96 separate buildings containing 924 residential units. Charles A. Pitcher served as the general manager of the cooperative. He owned and controlled Real Estate Company of New England LLC and Pitcher Enterprises LLC.

Pitcher was appointed as the general manager of Success Village Apartments, Inc. in May 2022 for an annual fee of $250,000. Umbrella Mechanical LLC began providing plumbing services to the cooperative in approximately June 2022. Between approximately June 2022 and September 2024, Charles A. Pitcher, Carmine Gentile, and others engaged in an embezzlement conspiracy involving fraudulent invoices submitted to Success Village Apartments, Inc.

Vendors involved in the conspiracy diverted between approximately 10 to 30 percent of payments received from Success Village Apartments, Inc. to Charles A. Pitcher and an individual identified as 'Person-1'. Umbrella Mechanical LLC received approximately $2,631,769.71 in payments from the cooperative. More than $526,000 of those payments was diverted to Charles A. Pitcher and 'Person-1'.

Why It Matters

The case involves financial losses for a large residential cooperative serving hundreds of families across 96 buildings. The investigation into the embezzlement conspiracy is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Riley.

The guilty pleas resolve charges against two key figures in the scheme. The identity of 'Person-1' and the specific sentencing dates for Pitcher and Gentile are not detailed in the available records. The defendants admitted guilt to federal charges and waived indictment rights, leading to substantial restitution and forfeiture agreements that aim to recover millions in diverted funds.

Timeline

Charles A. Pitcher was appointed as the general manager of Success Village Apartments, Inc. in May 2022 for an annual fee of $250,000. Umbrella Mechanical LLC began providing plumbing services to Success Village Apartments, Inc. in approximately June 2022. On September 14, 2026, Gentile pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Gentile pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford on that same date. He agreed to a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of at least $750,000 and agreed to pay restitution in the amount of at least $1,500,000. Gentile is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing and waived his right to be indicted.

What's New

Additional reporting indicates that Umbrella Mechanical LLC performed work on piping and boilers that supplied heat and hot water to residents at Success Village Apartments. Charles A. Pitcher is a 58-year-old resident of Trumbull, Connecticut. Gentile is a 37-year-old resident of Freehold, New Jersey. Gentile is also identified as a researcher.

Charles A. Pitcher also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. His plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven. Pitcher admitted to orchestrating the scheme in which fraudulent invoices were submitted by vendors, including Umbrella Mechanical LLC, and a portion of the payments were funneled back to him and 'Person-1' through off-the-books arrangements. Pitcher agreed to a forfeiture money judgment of at least $750,000 and committed to paying restitution of at least $1,500,000. He is currently released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.

The scheme allowed Pitcher to maintain control over the cooperative's operations while directing contracts to vendors willing to participate in the fraud. Investigators determined that the embezzled funds were used for personal expenses and to support other business ventures. The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized that the restitution and forfeiture agreements are part of broader efforts to return misappropriated funds to the cooperative and its members.

Success Village Apartments, Inc. continues to operate under oversight measures implemented following the discovery of the fraud. The cooperative has initiated internal reviews to strengthen financial controls and prevent future misconduct. No charges have been filed against 'Person-1' as of the latest updates, and authorities have not disclosed whether further arrests are expected.