Arrest of Lindy Man Marks Fifth One in National Grid Fraud Case

A Lindenhurst man was arrested on Monday for filing fraudulent rebates with National Grid by Suffolk Police.

John Bono, 43, is the fifth person arrested by Identity Theft detectives during a 12-month investigation involving fraudulent energy-efficiency rebates submitted to National Grid, said the SCPD.

The applications submitted were for upgrades to properties for work that was never completed or didn't qualify for the rebate.

According to Suffolk Identity Theft detectives, Bono allegedly illegally received a total of $147,000 throughout the scheme.

Some of the rebates were made payable to two of his corporations, John Bono Realty and Bono Development Corporation, police said.

Overall the five-person scheme resulted in the theft of approximately $1,400,000 from National Grid, according to Suffolk Police. Energy-efficiency rebates are funded by rate payers, and the program is designed to promote the use of energy-efficient products, police explained.

Bono has been charged with two counts of grand larceny second degree, a class C felony. He'll be arraigned in First District Court in Central Islip later today.

In February Identity Theft detectives arrested Charles Sjogren, 47, of Hopewell Junction in upstate New York, and charged him with one count of grand larceny in the third degree and six counts of identity theft in the first degree in connection with this .

Last Summer three men were initially arrested and charged in connection with this scheme, according to police.

John Glaser, 53, Lindenhurst, and Ralph Bianco, 53, Farmingdale, were charged with one count of second-degree grand larceny and 11 counts of first-degree identity theft.

Michael Castronovo, 41, Franklin Square, was charged with nine counts of identity theft and one count of grand larceny.

Read more about their arrests here: