Former police officer sentenced for bribery scheme with brother

A former Stoneham auxiliary police officer was sentenced in federal court for a bribery scheme involving millions in Mass Save funds, according to a statement from United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. 

Christopher Ponzo, 50, of North Reading, was sentenced to 27 months in prison followed by two years supervised release and a $300,000 fine, according to the statement.

In November 2024, Ponzo submitted a guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, 24 counts of honest services wire fraud and one count of making false statements to government officials, according to officials. He was indicted alongside his brother Joseph Ponzo, according to a statement. 

The two brothers conspired to pay thousands in cash bribes, kickbacks, and other benefits in exchange for their associates, who worked at an unnamed company, helping them get millions in Mass Save contracts, according to officials.

Massachusetts law requires utility companies to collect an energy efficiency surcharge from their customers. The funds are then distributed by the company to fund energy efficiency programs in the state.

With the Mass Save program, vendors are selected by these utility companies to approve and select contractors to perform energy improvement work for customers. This work, which is provided for free by contractors, is paid by Mass Save funds. 

Christopher Ponzo paid his associate at the unnamed company $1,000 in cash on a weekly basis from 2013 to 2017, according to officials. He would, at times, pay this same associate between $5,000 and $10,000 in cash, saying it was extra money from his brother, according to the statement.

This associate, in return for these cash bribes, helped Joseph Ponzo set up a shell company called Air Tight, which was approved as a contractor for the unnamed company under the Mass Save program, according to officials.

Joseph Ponzo put his spouse’s name on the documents for Air Tight in order to hide his own involvement, according to the statement. Joseph Ponzo collected over $7 million under the Mass Save program, despite having no experience in residential insulation work, according to a statement. 

The brothers found a second associate at the unnamed company when their first associate left. This second associate was involved in the scheme from about 2018 to 2022, according to the statement. They even hired a relative of their second associate as a part of their scheme, officials said.

In 2022, the Ponzo brothers denied making bribe payments to any employees of the unnamed company when interviewed by federal agents, according to the statement.  Joseph Ponzo also submitted a guilty plea in November 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 28.  

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