PLYMOUTH, Mass. — A decade-long scheme that siphoned taxpayer-funded food and commercial kitchen equipment away from local students to stock a private Cape Cod eatery has come to a close.
Patrick Van Cott, the 64-year-old former Director of Food Services for Plymouth Public Schools, was sentenced in Boston federal court to six months in prison. In addition to his prison term, Van Cott has been ordered to surrender to the federal Bureau of Prisons by December 16, 2026.
A Scheme Hidden in Plain Sight
For over eleven years—from 2014 until his departure in June 2025—Van Cott oversaw the district’s public school cafeterias. Behind the scenes, however, he was systematically diverting substantial amounts of food and high-end equipment intended for school lunches to supply his seasonal private business, the “Snack Shack,” located on Sandy Neck Beach in Barnstable, Mass.
According to federal prosecutors, the diverted items included:
- Taxpayer-Funded Food Supplies: Premium hamburgers, deli meats, lobster meat, condiments, and USDA-funded goods meant for students.
- Commercial Kitchen Equipment: Large-scale school-owned appliances, including commercial refrigerators, freezers, and griddles.
How the Fraud Was Uncovered
The operation began to unravel when an anonymous tip was submitted to the Plymouth assistant superintendent’s office.
A subsequent investigation uncovered decisive evidence, including video footage capturing Van Cott loading school-owned commercial refrigerators directly into box trucks to transport them to his beachfront concession stand.
In May 2026, Van Cott pleaded guilty in Boston federal court to charges of wire fraud and theft from a program receiving federal funds.
For further details on the prosecution, official updates are available through the U.S. Department of Justice.
