Winchester Man Arraigned in Connection With Online Intimidation, Harassment

A Winchester man has been arraigned on charges in connection with online intimidation and harrasment against another man and his company, according to the Massachusetts Attorney General.

Steven C. Fustolo, 57, was arraigned in Woburn District Court today on charges of Criminal Harassment and Intimidation of a Witness, Attorney General Maura Healey’s Office announced.

Fustolo pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on personal recognizance with the condition that he makes no contact with the victim or his family. A pre-trial hearing in Woburn District Court is scheduled later this year.

“We allege that this defendant caused significant financial and emotional distress to the victim through an online campaign of harassment,” Healey said. “We will not tolerate people hiding behind their computer screens and committing criminal intimidation or harassment.”

Fustolo allegedly planned and put forth a scheme to harass and intimidate the CEO of an investment advising company, to which he owes millions of dollars, that had filed a bankruptcy proceeding against him, the Attorney General’s Office said. Fustolo reportedly owes more than $30 million to the company.

The 57-year-old allegedly paid to have a website made claiming to be devoted to exposing corporate abuse. In an attempt to coerce the victim to drop or settle the bankruptcy proceeding, Fustolo also posed as commentators, writing and publishing various harassing “news articles” regarding the purported wrongdoing by the victim and his company, the AG said.

Fustolo engaged in the harassment and intimidation in various ways. The Winchester man distributed articles and video “news” stories which were purported to have been written by others and also mailed hard copies of the articles in question to the victim’s neighbors and business associates, authorities said.

Additionally, the victim’s family alleged having been harassed by Fustolo. The family claimed he posted their home address on the Internet and a video that included pictures of the victim’s daughter and her fiance, as well as the date and location of their wedding. A commentator in the video claimed a “surprise visitor” might show up to the wedding, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

Massachusetts State Police executed search warrants on Fustolo’s Winchester home and office in Burlington on Thursday, July 16.

This is the first time in which the Massachusetts State Attorney General has used the criminal harassment statute for actions allegedly occurring on the Internet.

Authorities said the investigation is ongoing.