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Financial Crimes Unit

Financial Controller Uses Bogus Bonuses, More To Embezzle $1M From Bergen Biz: Prosecutor Financial Controller Uses Bogus Bonuses, More To Embezzle $1M From Bergen Biz: Prosecutor
Financial Controller Uses Bogus Bonuses, More To Embezzle $1M From Bergen Biz: Prosecutor A 62-year-old financial controller from Oakland embezzled $1 million from a Bergen County-based business, authorities charged. Charles J. Vincent, 62, “used his position as financial controller to divert approximately one million dollars belonging to his employer to his personal control,” Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said on Wednesday, Oct. 4. “The theft occurred over an extended period and employed several deliberate methods of diversion,” the prosecutor said. “These included large unauthorized payments to himself disguised as bonuses, as well as payments from company accounts to …
Jersey Shore Cyberthief Swipes $300,000 From Bergen Retiree's Account: It Happens A Lot Jersey Shore Cyberthief Swipes $300,000 From Bergen Retiree's Account: It Happens A Lot
Jersey Shore Cyberthief Swipes $300,000 From Bergen Retiree's Account: It Happens A Lot An unemployed cyberthief from the Jersey Shore swiped more than $300,000 from an elderly Lodi resident’s retirement account after stealing the victim’s identity, authorities charged. Joseph Bilotta, 65, hijacked the online account, along with others in New Jersey and Maryland, “to fund his lifestyle,” Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Lodi police notified members of the prosecutor’s Financial Crimes Unit of the account takeover scheme in 2021, Musella said. They arrested Bilotta on theft charges following an investigation and sent him to the Bergen County Jail only to have a judg…
HEARTLESS: NJ Woman, 22, Charged With Conning Elderly Man In Grandparent Scam HEARTLESS: NJ Woman, 22, Charged With Conning Elderly Man In Grandparent Scam
Heartless: NJ Woman, 22, Charged With Conning Elderly Man In Grandparent Scam Authorities have charged a 22-year-old Paterson woman with scamming an elderly Florida resident who was told that his son-in-law needed bail money. Flor Loveras was charged with theft by deception and conspiracy following a lengthy investigation that began more than three years ago, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said. She was released pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Paterson sometime before the end of the month, the prosecutor said on Monday, Feb. 13. The 76-year-old victim was contacted in October 2019 by someone claiming to be a bail bonds…
Teaneck Woman Assumes Dead Brother's ID To Get $20G In Social Security, Authorities Charge Teaneck Woman Assumes Dead Brother's ID To Get $20G In Social Security, Authorities Charge
Teaneck Woman Assumes Dead Brother's ID To Get $20G In Social Security, Authorities Charge A home health care worker from Teaneck assumed her dead brother’s identity to collect more than $20,000 in Social Security disability money, authorities charged. Wanda Lynn Sermon, 55, “failed to notify the Social Security Administration of her brother’s death and instead assumed control of his bank account,” Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said Wednesday. For the next 16 months, Musella said, Sermon “continued to access Social Security disability benefit funds intended for [him],” pocketing $20,438 in the process. Detectives from his Financial Crimes Unit began investigating this su…
Passaic County Executor Charged With Pocketing $75,000 Passaic County Executor Charged With Pocketing $75,000
Passaic County Executor Charged With Pocketing $75,000 An estate executor from Passaic County diverted $75,000 for her own entertainment, to pay credit card bills and for other personal purposes, authorities charged. Nancy Williams, 64, “was responsible for distributing the assets of the estate to the beneficiary,” Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said. “Instead, Williams illegally took the assets of the estate and converted the assets to her own use” for two years, beginning in August 2016, Valdes said. Members of her Financial Crimes Unit charged Williams with theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, misapplication of entrust…
Bookkeeper Charged With Embezzling $75,000 From Passaic County Tile, Grout Company Bookkeeper Charged With Embezzling $75,000 From Passaic County Tile, Grout Company
Bookkeeper Charged With Embezzling $75,000 From Passaic County Tile, Grout Company The bookkeeper at a Passaic County tile and grout company embezzled more than $75,000 from her employer, authorities charged. Yvette Tripicchio, 47, of Hawthorne, was charged with two counts of theft in an indictment returned by a grand jury in Paterson, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said. Tripicchio deposited checks from GSD Industries in Pompton Lakes into her personal bank accounts, then “tampered with company records in an attempt to hide the theft,” the prosecutor said.  Valdes didn't disclose the suspected motive. Records show Tripicchio had taken a job as a lunch…
Prosecutor: Moonachie Fashion Warehouse Worker Swipes $300,000 In Merch With Shipping Scheme Prosecutor: Moonachie Fashion Warehouse Worker Swipes $300,000 In Merch With Shipping Scheme
Prosecutor: Moonachie Fashion Warehouse Worker Swipes $300,000 In Merch With Shipping Scheme A Hudson County man working at a fashion company’s Moonachie warehouse stole $300,000 worth of merchandise that he had delivered to various addresses, authorities charged. Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said Moonachie police pointed detectives from his Financial Crimes Unit to Isaac Martinez, 19, after discovering the thefts from the multi-national company in March. They, in turn, arrested Martinez, of Polk Street, on charges of conspiracy to commit theft by deception. He was released pending a July 7 first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.
Prosecutor: Bean Counter Embezzled $1.1M From Bergen Firm With 'Ghost' Workers, Other Tricks Prosecutor: Bean Counter Embezzled $1.1M From Bergen Firm With 'Ghost' Workers, Other Tricks
Prosecutor: Bean Counter Embezzled $1.1M From Bergen Firm With 'Ghost' Workers, Other Tricks A bookkeeper from Hasbrouck Heights embezzled $1.1 million from a Bogota-based carpentry company by creating “ghost employees,” among other methods, authorities charged. Maribel Rios, 51 – also known as Maribel Roche – “engaged in various schemes” to “manipulate the company payroll system” over a three-year period, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said Thursday. The prosecutor said these included: issuing payroll deposits to “ghost employees”; issuing company checks to accounts that she controlled; manipulating accounting software to justify the checks. Then she used the money on h…
Bergen Prosecutor: Feds Capture Parolee In $500,000 Ponzi Scheme Bergen Prosecutor: Feds Capture Parolee In $500,000 Ponzi Scheme
Bergen Prosecutor: Feds Capture Parolee In $500,000 Ponzi Scheme U.S. Marshals captured an ex-con who ran a Ponzi scheme while on federal probation that swindled a Fort Lee investor, among others, out of more than $500,000, authorities said. Giuseppe Valentino, 52, “solicited multiple investors in his company, Rhineau LLC, by representing that he had developed a proprietary algorithm for the execution of binary options,” Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said Wednesday. A judge issued a warrant for Valentino’s arrest in March after Financial Crimes Unit detectives found that he’d collected a half-million dollars that he used for himself without inves…
Bookkeeper From Paterson Charged With Embezzling $100,000 From Bergen Food Distributor Bookkeeper From Paterson Charged With Embezzling $100,000 From Bergen Food Distributor
Bookkeeper From Paterson Charged With Embezzling $100,000 From Bergen Food Distributor A bookkeeper from Paterson embezzled $100,000 from a Bergen County food distributor that she worked for, authorities charged. Stefany Carolina Urias “took customer payments via checks and money orders without her employer’s authorization,” Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. She then “altered and deposited” checks and money orders made payable to the wholesale food distribution company into her account, he said. Musella’s Financial Crimes Unit arrested Urias in Passaic on charges of theft, forgery, falsifying records and criminal computer activity, the prosecutor said. She was pro…
Feds Snatch Garfield Lawyer Charged With Swiping $100,000 From Client Feds Snatch Garfield Lawyer Charged With Swiping $100,000 From Client
Feds Snatch Garfield Lawyer Charged With Swiping $100,000 From Client A Garfield lawyer who authorities said pocketed $100,000 from a client was seized by federal agents at JFK Airport as he got off a flight from Colombia, authorities said. Then he smiled for his mugshot. Alfredo Ramos, 38, was extradited to New Jersey, booked into the Bergen County Jail on Friday and then ordered released by a judge the next day on charges of misapplication of entrusted property, records show. The self-employed, 6-foot, 300-pound Ramos “received the funds into his attorney trust account but, instead of forwarding them to the client, used them for his own purposes, Acting Ber…
Prosecutor: Cresskill 'Girl Friday' Embezzles $1 Million-Plus From Employer Prosecutor: Cresskill 'Girl Friday' Embezzles $1 Million-Plus From Employer
Prosecutor: Cresskill 'Girl Friday' Embezzles $1 Million-Plus From Employer A now-former administrative assistant from Cresskill embezzled more than $1 million from her Bergen County employer by writing and cashing checks and then cooking the books, authorities said. Tina Madison, 56, took the money over the course of nearly eight years, forging signatures and endorsements and then either cashing or depositing the checks in her own account, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo said. “To conceal the theft, Madison altered the victim’s bank statements, which she would then file for record-keeping purposes,” Calo said. Madison, of Poplar street, was charged wi…
Prosecutor: Bank Worker, BF Took $375G From Late Teaneck Resident's Estate Prosecutor: Bank Worker, BF Took $375G From Late Teaneck Resident's Estate
Prosecutor: Bank Worker, BF Took $375G From Late Teaneck Resident's Estate A bank employee and her boyfriend stole $375,000 from the estate of a recently deceased Teaneck resident, said authorities who busted them. Shannell Griggs of Syracuse, NY, “used the bank’s computerized account and customer service systems to access and take over the victim’s bank accounts,” Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo said Friday. She and Givonni Butler of Passaic then stole the deceased’s money “through a combination of illicit debit card purchases, cash withdrawals, wire transfers, and cashier check purchases,” Calo said. The executor alerted members of the prosecutor’s …