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Taxpayers foot 8 years of bennies for mayor’s ex?

A North Jersey mayor’s ex-wife kept her medical coverage at taxpayers’ expense even though they’d been divorced for more than eight years, a grand jury indictment alleges.

Photo Credit: Cliffview Pilot

A onetime boy wonder of local politics, Carlstadt Mayor William Roseman kept his former spouse enrolled in the borough’s medical and prescription plans instead of notifying authorities that they’d been divorced in July 2000, Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said today.

William Roseman

The indictment charges both with official misconduct — an extremely serious offense — along with theft and conspiracy.

Roseman (right) had an obligation to notify the borough’s benefits administrator, Insurance Design Administrators (IDA) of Oakland, New Jersey within 60 days of the divorce, the prosecutor said.

From the time of their divorce through January 2008, Lori Lewin obtained more than $7,000 in prescription benefits under the borough’s plan the indictment alleges. It says she also received other medical benefits through 2003

In addition, the indictment says, he didn’t notify IDA that he’d changed his address when he moved out after the divorce. He continued to receive mail at his ex-wife’s address, it says.

On top of that, Roseman presided over the council’s approval or medical and prescripton plans throughout the entire period.

Roseman burst onto the political scene at 18, getting elected to the borough council right out of high school. He remained on the council for 29 years, serving as mayor the past 14 years. He also founded his own computer operating systems company.

An arraignment is expected within four weeks, Molinelli said, adding that the couple could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of the most serious charge, official misconduct.

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