Police/Fire

Police Log: String of Car Break-ins, Employee Theft at Target

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests

None

Incidents

Jan. 25, 1:28 p.m.: Target conducted an investigation on an employee suspected of stealing products from the store. Target security found that an employee working in the online order fulfillment department was selecting additional items not on the order list and placing them into a carriage. He put the items in separate bags, and at the end of his shift he would take the bags and leave the store.

Police/Fire

Watertown Man Injured Seriously in Snowmobile Accident

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A 30-year-old Watertown man suffered serious injuries when he got into an accident on a snowmobile in Gorham, N.H. on Friday. Konstantin Ioannidis was on a guided group snowmobile tour on Gorham’s Town Access Trail when the accident occurred. According to the Boston Globe article, it was his first time riding one. The injuries occurred when he lost control, struck a tree and was thrown from the snowmobile. He was taken to Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin, N.H.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Gun Shown in Road Rage Incident, Car Window Shattered

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests

None

Incidents

Jan. 19, 3:20 p.m.: A man came into CVS on Main Street and took some razors off the shelf but did not pay for them before leaving. The store manager called Police and gave them a description of the suspect. The man was identified and the 38-year-old Medford man was summonsed to Waltham District Court on a charge of shoplifting.

Business

Athenahealth to Pay $18.25 Million for Taking Kickbacks

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The following release was provided by the U.S. Department of Justice:

A national electronic health records (EHR) technology vendor based in Watertown, Massachusetts, athenahealth Inc. (Athena), has agreed to pay $18.25 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by paying unlawful kickbacks to generate sales of its EHR product, athenaClinicals, the Justice Department announced today. In a complaint filed in conjunction with today’s settlement, the United States alleged that Athena violated the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute through three marketing programs. First, Athena invited prospective and existing customers to “Concierge Events,” providing free tickets to and amenities at sporting, entertainment, and recreational events, including trips to the Masters Tournament and the Kentucky Derby with complimentary travel and luxury accommodations, meals, and alcohol. Second, Athena paid kickbacks to its existing customers under a “Lead Generation” program designed to identify and refer new prospective clients to Athena. Under this program, Athena paid up to $3,000 to existing customers for each new client that signed up for Athena services, regardless of how much time, if any, the existing customer spent speaking to or meeting with the new client. Finally, Athena entered into deals with competing vendors that were discontinuing their EHR technology offerings to refer their clients to Athena.

Police/Fire

Watertown Man Arrested on Charge of Acting as Unregistered Agent for Iran

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The Department of Justice announced the arrest of a Watertown man on charges of acting as an unregistered agent for the Iranian government. Kaveh Lotfolah Afrasiabi, 63 of Watertown, allegedly gave propaganda to members of Congress and the media, and has received money from an account linked to Iran’s United Nations mission. The charges were unsealed in a Brooklyn Federal Court, but Afrasiabi was arrested on Monday by the FBI and was due to be arraigned in Boston Federal Court on Tuesday. According to a MassLive.com story, Afrasiabi entered the U.S. in 1973 and became a lawful permanent resident in 1984. He has taught at several universities — including full-time at Tehran University, Boston University and Bentley College, and as a visiting scholar at Harvard and University of California, Berkeley — and graduated from University of Massachusetts for undergrad and got his masters degree and doctorate in political science from Boston University.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Man Threatened While Using ATM, Facebook Marketplace Scam

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrest

Jan. 5 1:15 a.m.: A officer patrolling in Watertown Square spotted a vehicle without an inspection sticker, which also had a missing front license plate. The officer obtained the plate number from the back license plate and ran a query that found that registered owner had a warrant out for his arrest. The vehicle was pulled over on Arsenal Street and the 22-year-old Waltham man was arrested on the warrant from Dedham District court for traffic offenses.

Police/Fire

Council Approves First Part of $4 Million Police, Fire Radio Upgrades

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Watertown’s Police and Fire departments will be getting new portable radios as part of upgrades to the first responder radio system that has become unreliable. On Tuesday night, the Town Council approved borrowing $1.77 million to fund the first of two phases in the $4 million plan to upgrade the Townwide radio infrastructure. The second phase is planned to be completed next year. The system is used by the Police, Fire and Department of Public Works to communicate. The system also links Watertown’s first responders with police and fire departments in nearby communities, as well as regional fire and police organizations.