Scituate town official accused of fraud

July 26, 2019 12:11 am

SCITUATE, R.I. (WLNE) — For 10 years Scituate Town Moderator David D’Agostino listed 9 Neil Lane in Scituate as his address.

There’s a mailbox.

There’s a door.

There’s even a welcome mat.

But has he actually been living here?

“Not to my knowledge,” said neighbor Frank Saggerson. “I’ve never met him.”

Neighbors say that though the D’Agostino family used to own this building, they didn’t live here, and the space in the back is for storage.

“It does not exist by any standard,” said former Scituate Town Council President Mahoney. “Tax record, 911, police department in reference to service calls to that address. It does not exist, it never existed, the tax cards clearly indicate it’s a four–unit.”

That’s why former town council president John Mahoney brought the complaint to the town’s Board of Canvassers, saying D’Agostino lied about his address and therefore shouldn’t hold public office.

Neighbors say it’s a matter of honesty.

“Just be forthright,” said Saggerson. “That’s what everyone – what I expect of people.”

At a hearing on the matter Thursday, discussion centered around the fact that D’Agostino continued to list 9 Neil Lane as his address, while spending much of his time with his then–girlfriend at 3 Waterman Drive on the other side of town.

The board ultimately ruled that he was still eligible to vote and hold public office.

But Mahoney says it’s not over yet.

“He lied on those documents,” said the former town council president. “And he committed fraud. And the attorney general’s office needs to look into this.”

The board is passing along the transcripts of today’s hearing to the attorney general’s office.

D’Agastino and his family declined to speak on–camera.