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The dispatcher allegedly transferred charity money granted to EMS volunteers to a PayPal account and spent the money at restaurants, pharmacies and auto stores, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer.
Matthew Bender of Lacey Township was charged with theft on Thursday, the prosecutor said.
An investigation found that Bender, a volunteer with Lanoka Harbor EMS and current dispatcher with Lacey Township Police Department, managed the EMS PayPal account, Billhimer said.
On Feb. 2, Benevity, a charitable group that gives money on behalf of Macy’s Corp., awarded a grant to Lahoka Harbor EMS Investigators found that Bender allegedly transferred grant money from the EMS PayPal account to his personal PayPal account, the prosecutor said.
Bender then allegedly made numerous purchases, in small dollar amounts, at restaurants, pharmacies and auto stores, Billhimer said.
Bender is paid nearly $44,000-a-year as a full-time dispatcher at Lacey Township Police Department. No defense attorney information was immediately available.
Bender was processed at the Berkeley Township Police Department and released on a summons pending a future court date.
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