NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — An Italian citizen was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport Wednesday for allegedly impersonating figures from the publishing industry to fraudulently obtain unpublished manuscripts.
Filippo Bernardini, 29, of London, was arrested by FBI agents at the airport and charged with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to federal authorities, Bernardini’s alleged scheme began in August 2016 when he was working in the publishing industry and began to impersonate agents, editors and others involved to obtain prepublication manuscripts.
“These prepublication manuscripts are valuable, and the unauthorized release of a manuscript can dramatically undermine the economics of publishing, and publishing houses generally work to identify and stop the release of pirated, prepublication, manuscripts,” FBI officials said.
According to court documents, Bernardini would create fake email accounts similar enough to real entities, but with minor typographical errors, to dupe authors into sending him their unfinished work.
“Filippo Bernardini allegedly impersonated publishing industry individuals in order to have authors, including a Pulitzer prize winner, send him prepublication manuscripts for his own benefit. This real-life storyline now reads as a cautionary tale, with the plot twist of Bernardini facing federal criminal charges for his misdeeds.”
Actor Ethan Hawke and “The Handmaid’s Tale” author Margaret Atwood were two of the creators allegedly duped by Bernardini, according to The Associated Press.
AP reported that Bernardini had baffled the publishing industry for years as he collected hundreds of manuscripts by using his insider knowledge. The scheme was even more confusing because the works were never sold or made public.
According to the indictment, Bernardini workers in London for a “major, international US-based publishing house.” The Associated Press reported he worked for Simon & Schuster.
If convicted on the top charge, Bernardini faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.
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