According to multiple sources, a former Hopkinton town employee is under investigation by the Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for allegedly embezzling thousands of dollars from the town.

Jay Guelfi was the Director of Parks and Recreation for the town from 2015 to 2023. As Director he had broad authority over the department’s budget, which in 2022 was in excess of hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

The OIG was notified by a whistleblower who worked at Parks and Rec and has since left the organization. The complaint alleges that Guelfi, working in concert with a Parks and Rec contractor, skimmed cash from the Fruit Street field concession stand and possibly Sandy Beach, where residents use cash for parking passes. Neither facility has a point of sale system and essentially relies on the good faith of the staff to hand the deposit into the town’s treasury department.

The exact amount of money taken, and over what period of time, is unknown, but was confirmed to be in excess of $5,000.

HopNews independently verified these claims with three senior-level town employees, all who have direct knowledge of the situation and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

“The funds collected by Parks and Rec are supposed to offset their operating budget, which ideally results in reduced registration fees and more scholarships for participants in need,” said one.

According to sources, the theft came to the attention of another Parks and Rec employee, who escalated the matter to then-Chief Financial Officer Tim O’Leary and Town Manager Norman Khumalo. Reportedly, Khumalo notified the State Attorney General, who elected not to pursue the matter for unknown reasons. Frustrated, the employee contacted the Fraud, Waste and Abuse Hotline at OIG, the “independent agency that prevents and detects fraud, waste and abuse of public funds and public property and promotes transparency and efficiency in government,” according to their website.

HopNews contacted the OIG for comment but calls were not returned.

On Friday, February 24, the town announced that Guelfi would retire, and would serve out the remainder of the 2023, “allowing the town sufficient time to fill his role and to ensure continuity of service for the community during the transition process.” 

But just two months later, Guelfi was out. He appeared before the Select Board at their May 23 meeting. “I want to take this opportunity, to express on behalf of town hall, our most sincere gratitude to Jay Guelfi. Having him here tonight exemplifies the commitment, dedication and professionalism with which he conducted himself as our Parks and Rec director,” said Khumalo. 

“Best wishes in your retirement,” said Select Board Chair Muriel Kramer.

And while the Select Board gave Guelfi a hearty round of applause at the meeting, multiple sources confirmed that Select Board members had been previously briefed on the allegations.

In June, Pat Savage joined Parks and Rec as the Interim Director, and in September the town hired John Lewitus as permanent Director, who previously served as Assistant Director in Brookline.

Guelfi reportedly now works in the private sector.