Leader of annual SantaCon pub crawl a conman, feds charge

Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News on Apr 15, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

NEW YORK — SantaCon is led by a conman who siphoned more than a million dollars raised for charity during the yearly crimson plague of drunken revelry — a grinch who “stole Christmas from tens of thousands of victims,” federal prosecutors in Manhattan charged Wednesday.

Suspected Bad Santa Stefan Pildes pleaded not guilty to wire fraud in Manhattan Federal Court, hours after his early morning arrest for allegedly diverting to a slush fund at least half of the roughly $2.7 million raised for charity by SantaCon participants from 2019 to 2024.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said the leader of the notorious pub crawl for years 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.”

“He took advantage of New Yorkers’ generous holiday spirit to finance his lifestyle through personal expenses, big and small,” Clayton said in a statement.

“No matter how you dress it up, fraud is fraud.”

Pildes, 50, of Hewitt, N.J, was released on an $300,000 bond by Magistrate Judge Katharine Parker and barred from involvement with this year’s SantaCon.

Following the hearing, a stone-faced Pildes stormed out of court and ignored questions from throngs of reporters — like whether he expected a lump of coal for Christmas or was worried he would end up on Santa’s naughty list.

SantaCon generates millions in annual proceeds through ticket sales to participants and commissions to the bars and restaurants that host them.

Prosecutors said Pildes defrauded attendees and small business owners alike, pilfering funds to pay for extensive renovations on a lakefront property in New Jersey, concert tickets, luxury getaways, Michelin star meals and a sports car.

“Pildes allegedly stole Christmas from tens of thousands of victims and deprived local charities of more than one million dollars. The FBI continues to root out scrooges that greedily exploit the goodwill of New Yorkers,” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. said Tuesday.

The chaotic, booze-fueled festival draws at least 25,000 attendees each December to the ire of many New Yorkers disgusted by inebriated St. Nicks vomiting and urinating in the streets.

Pildes could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the racket. He’s due back in court April 22.

_____