Man Accused Of Stealing $4.5M From Mother’s Bank Account

MINEOLA, N.Y. (AP) — A Long Island man has been accused of stealing more than $4.5 million from his mother to fund a lavish lifestyle that included private jets, nightclubs, Super Bowl box seats and a $100,000 bottle of champagne.

Samuel Bernstein was arraigned in Mineola Thursday on grand larceny and aggravated harassment charges.

The Nassau County district attorney's office says the 24-year-old Roslyn man pilfered his mother's bank account for at least two years. The account was used to fund a charity for wheelchair tennis players.

Prosecutors say Bernstein also used the money to pay off credit card debt that belonged to his friends.

Prosecutors say she became aware of the theft in April 2017.

Information on Bernstein's lawyer wasn't immediately available.