From Burning Man to the Swiss Alps, SantaCon founder — accused of stealing tens of millions in charity’s money — flaunts globetrotting way of life on Instagram

Accused SantaCon cheat Stefan Pildes actively flaunted his lavish way of life on Instagram — earlier than being busted for allegedly funneling tens of millions in charity money from the annual Christmas-themed booze fest to bankroll his bougie holidays.

The founding father of the infamous seasonal bar crawl, who was arrested Wednesday on wire fraud costs, shamelessly paraded himself globetrotting together with his spouse and pals on journeys to Nevada’s Burning Man pageant, the Las Vegas Sphere and ski getaways, videos on his Instagram account show. 

Pildes, 50, was additionally seen blowing the would-be donations on a string of live shows final 12 months, together with Lady Gaga’s “Mayhem Ball” and David Byrne at Radio City Musical Hall. 

He just lately took a “legendary trip” to the Swiss Alps in February and deliberate to return to the Sphere this week to see Phish, a rock band he commonly catches on the Las Vegas attraction, based on his social media profile.

The accused fraudster additionally repeatedly showcased his lakefront New Jersey property in a flurry of posts courting again to 2016 – which federal prosecutors mentioned he allegedly renovated with the stolen funds.

Other social media posts included snowboarding excursions to Lake Tahoe, Vermont and Colorado and several other outings to music festivals throughout the tri-state.

Pildes, of Hewitt, New Jersey, was charged with one depend of wire fraud for allegedly hemorrhaging SantaCon’s funds on luxurious holidays to Hawaii, Colorado and Las Vegas, together with extravagant Michelin star meals and a high-end automobile, based on a federal indictment. 

Prosecutors mentioned the disgraced social gathering promoter — identified for throwing hula-hooping bashes — diverted greater than half of the over $2.7 million the boozy occasion raised in ticket gross sales right into a “slush fund” for himself between 2019 and 2024. 

Participants had been advised that proceeds from the beloved Big Apple bar crawl would go to good causes similar to “fighting hunger” and “arts funding” —  with the occasion’s web site stating that proceeds go “directly to Santa’s charity drive,” based on the indictment.

“Pildes promoted SantaCon as an event grounded in charitable giving, but instead of donating the millions of dollars he raised, he ran his own con game,” US Attorney Jay Clayton mentioned in a press release.

“He took advantage of New Yorkers’ generous holiday spirit to finance his lifestyle through personal expenses, big and small. No matter how you dress it up, fraud is fraud.”

Pildes pleaded not responsible in Manhattan court docket Wednesday and was launched on a $300,000 bond.

He faces as much as 20 years in jail, if convicted.