Wilfried Werner, 56, who also works in real estate, received the money as a property investment but used it for himself instead, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.
Members of Musella’s Financial Crimes Unit arrested him in Fair Lawn on Tuesday, the prosecutor said.
Werner, previously of Wyckoff, was charged with theft by deception and released pending an Aug. 7 a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, the prosecutor said.
Records show several judgments against Werner out of Bergen County totaling more than $45,000.
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