The New Haven Register

Lottery thief pays restitution, but victim says it’s not enough

Randall Beach

Register Staff

NEW HAVEN — One of three men charged with stealing up to $1 million in cash from a lottery jackpot winner in North Branford received a suspended five-year prison sentence Tuesday after he gave $175,000 in restitution checks to the victim.

But after the victim, Giuseppe Diglio, pulled the four checks out of the envelope given to him by Joseph Bernardo and verified they added up to the required amount, he told Superior Court Judge Richard A. Damiani, “He took a lot more money than he gave me.”

Diglio added, “I am very hurt.”

Damiani told Diglio, “I agree with you. With allegations of $1 million, it was a jail case.”

But Damiani said a problem developed verifying the stolen amount. “I used the figure of $350,000. Only you know how much was there. It’s tough to prove it in court,” he said.

Damiani added, “He’s getting a suspended sentence because he fulfilled his obligation to you” by paying restitution.

Damiani also told Diglio, “He’s moved to Arizona. He’s out of your life. He’s gone. If I were you, I’d say ‘Goodbye.’”

But Diglio said, “I went through a lot of aggravation. He knows how much money was there.” Holding up the checks, he said scornfully, “This is a Christmas gift.”

When given a chance to speak in the courtroom, Bernardo, 25, of East Haven, said, “I’m deeply sorry to Mr. Diglio and his family and anybody else affected.”

Last November, Bernardo pleaded no contest to first-degree larceny.

Under the terms of the three-year conditional discharge, Bernardo cannot violate any laws of Connecticut or any other state. In addition, every six months, he must send an affidavit to his attorney, Hugh F. Keefe of New Haven, affirming he has not been arrested for any offense.

Keefe said after adjournment he was glad Damiani did not impose probation, because it would have required Bernardo to stay in Connecticut until the case could be transferred to Arizona. Keefe said Bernardo has a job there and is “the only breadwinner” in the family.

The other defendants in the case, Raffaele Iuliano Sr., 45, and Raffaele Iuliano Jr., 19, of East Haven, are awaiting sentencing.

The Iulianos are Diglio’s son-in-law and grandson. Bernardo was a friend and neighbor of the Iulianos.

North Branford police said Diglio and his wife hit a lottery jackpot in 1986 and were keeping the winnings in a safe in their basement. According to police, the trio took the pins off the safe hinges and pried the door open.

Police said the theft occurred Nov. 5, 2007, while the Diglio family was celebrating a confirmation at Brazi’s Restaurant in New Haven. Police believe more money was taken on Thanksgiving Day of that year.

Diglio told police he didn’t notice the money was missing until Jan. 14, 2008.

Police and Diglio began to suspect the Iulianos were the thieves when the pair bought cars, houses and all-terrain vehicles. Iuliano Sr. reportedly also was spending a lot of time in casinos.

When police interviewed the Iulianos in the family home, officers noticed what seemed to be new flat-screen TVs and a laptop computer.

URL: http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2009/03/25/news/new_haven/a1_--_lottery_thief.prt

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