Filippo Bernardini, 30, evades prison after years of imitating editors and impersonating agents, and taking possession of thousands of manuscripts from high-profile writers. The case was viewed as confounding since the manuscripts were never resold or leaked.
After pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud in January, Bernardini was sentenced to time served, avoiding prison on a felony charge that carried up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors had asked for a sentence of at least a year.
Writers Scammed
Bernardini’s scheme began in August 2016 and obtained more than a thousand manuscripts, including those from high-profile authors like Margaret Atwood and Ethan Hawke.
In an emotional, four-page letter to Judge Colleen McMahon submitted earlier this month, Bernardini apologized for what he characterized as his “egregious, stupid, and wrong” actions.
He also offered insight into his motivations, which had long stymied victims and observers alike even after his plea.
A book lover
He described a deep love of books that stemmed from childhood and led him to pursue a publishing career in London. While he obtained an internship at a literary agency there, he wrote, he had trouble securing a full-time job in the industry afterward.
A former publishing employee, driven by an obsession to stay connected to the industry, resorted to impersonating colleagues to acquire unpublished manuscripts from writers.
He crafted deceptive emails, mimicking tones of known professionals, to request pre-release books.
This compulsive behavior stemmed from his desire to feel like an insider, reading new works before they hit bookstores.
Unaware of the potential harm caused, the individual claimed to have never leaked any acquired manuscripts, keeping them close as a private collection to cherish before their public release.
Bernardini — an Italian citizen and British resident who was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport in January 2022 — will be deported from the U.S. Court documents show he asked to be deported to the United Kingdom, where he lives with his partner and dog, with Italy as the designated alternative.
As part of his guilty plea, Bernardini agreed to pay $88,000 in restitution, which court documents show will go to Penguin Random House.
“The cruel irony is that every time I open a book,” Bernardini wrote of his one-time passion, “it reminds me of my wrongdoings and what they led me to.”
Note; Photo above is from Pexels
