Two former executives have been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in a fraud scheme that diverted nearly $2 million from a Colorado-based data management company. Michael Vergato, 52, received a sentence of 46 months in prison and was fined $20,000. Mark Perlstein, 60, was sentenced to 25 months in prison and fined $15,000.
Perlstein pleaded guilty to wire fraud in June 2025. Vergato was convicted on six counts of wire fraud after a trial held in May 2025. Both men were ordered to pay restitution totaling $1,949,023 and will serve three years of supervised release following their prison terms.
Evidence showed that between 2013 and 2020, Vergato worked as a vice president at Arrow Electronics and oversaw performance tuning services provided by Perlstein’s company. Together, they set up a shell company named Oracle Performance Tuning and Optimization, LLC (OPTO). OPTO submitted fraudulent contracts and invoices—21 in total—to the data management company for services that were never performed. Perlstein approved these invoices as CEO and authorized payments to OPTO.
The funds paid to OPTO totaled nearly $2 million. Perlstein and Vergato split the proceeds while concealing their involvement through personal email accounts, other corporate entities, and false identities. Vergato used his stepdaughter’s identity when conducting business for OPTO. Testimony from the current CEO of the data management company revealed no evidence of work performed or employees linked to OPTO. Tax records confirmed that OPTO paid no salaries or contractor fees.
Of the total amount paid out by the data management company, Vergato kept about $874,000 for personal use—including purchases such as luxury vehicles and payments toward credit cards and rent—while Perlstein received over $1 million.
“These defendants’ greed has earned each of them years in federal prison, and they have to pay back every dollar they took,” said United States Attorney Peter McNeilly. “Corporate fraud of this magnitude undermines confidence in our business community and harms employees, customers, and shareholders alike. These sentences send a clear message: executives who abuse their authority for personal gain will be held accountable.”
"These two individuals plotted to defraud their companies of nearly $2 million, falsifying work that was never requested nor performed," said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “They lined their own pockets until their fraudulent scheme was uncovered, and now they will pay the consequences."
United States District Judge Nina Y. Wang presided over sentencing. The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation with prosecution handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Cassidy, Bradley Giles, and Bob Brown.
Case Number: 1:23-cr-00302-NYW
