Tag:

Embezzlement

Jack Griffin Took $380K From NJ Autism School For Unbuilt Farm, Then Sent Cash To Wife: Feds Jack Griffin Took $380K From NJ Autism School For Unbuilt Farm, Then Sent Cash To Wife: Feds
Jack Griffin Took $380K From NJ Autism School For Unbuilt Farm, Then Sent Cash To Wife: Feds Jack Griffin told the world he was building the future of farming. He gave a TEDx Talk. He stood before Congress. He promised to wipe out food deserts with high-tech vertical farms that could grow strawberries on a second floor and turn kale into jet fuel. But federal investigators say Griffin was really just pocketing. And now he’s headed to prison, the FBI announced on Monday, Feb. 2. The Sentence Jack Frances “Jack” Griffin, 62, of Philadelphia, faced up to 20 years in prison for each wire fraud charge and five years for tax evasion. His sentencing was originally scheduled for Oct. 22,…
PA Bookkeeper Stole $822K From Law Firm In NJ In 6-Year Remote Embezzlement PA Bookkeeper Stole $822K From Law Firm In NJ In 6-Year Remote Embezzlement
PA Bookkeeper Stole $822K From Law Firm In NJ In 6-Year Remote Embezzlement She worked remotely from Pennsylvania — and secretly funneled hundreds of thousands from her New Jersey law firm. Now, the 66-year-old bookkeeper is going to jail for a years-long financial betrayal. A former bookkeeper who siphoned more than $800,000 from a Bucks County-based law firm with operations in New Jersey has been sentenced to county jail, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office announced on Friday, June 27. Reese Esther Paul, 66, of Holland in Northampton Township, was handed a sentence of one year less a day to two years less a day in the Bucks County Correctional Facility, …
Ex-Hoboken Official Who Stole Half A Million In Taxpayer Funds For Lavish Life Sentenced Ex-Hoboken Official Who Stole Half A Million In Taxpayer Funds For Lavish Life Sentenced
Ex-Hoboken Official Who Stole Half A Million In Taxpayer Funds For Lavish Life Sentenced A former top Hoboken official who oversaw city recreation programs will spend the next two years behind bars for embezzling nearly half a million dollars from taxpayers, federal officials said. Pantaleo “Leo” Pellegrini, Hoboken’s former Director of Health and Human Services and Director of the Department of Environmental Services, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for embezzling money from the City of Hoboken and filing a false tax return, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba said on Tuesday, June 17. Pellegrini had previously pleaded guilty to the charges before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Far…
Disbarred NJ Attorney Accused Of Stealing $130K From Dead Client’s Estate: Prosecutor Disbarred NJ Attorney Accused Of Stealing $130K From Dead Client’s Estate: Prosecutor
Disbarred NJ Attorney Accused Of Stealing $130K From Dead Client’s Estate: Prosecutor A former Monmouth County attorney has been criminally charged with stealing more than $130,000 from a deceased client’s estate over the course of seven years, authorities said. Kathleen M. Cehelsky, 60, of Spring Lake Heights, is charged with: Second-degree Misapplication of Entrusted Property Fourth-degree False Uttering Fourth-degree Forgery The charges were announced Thursday, May 16, by Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago. According to Santiago, the theft began shortly after the death of Cehelsky’s client in 2014, when she began illegally transferring funds from the client’…
Ex-NJ Library Staffer Admits Embezzling $3.2M From Couple Who Trusted Him, Feds Say Ex-NJ Library Staffer Admits Embezzling $3.2M From Couple Who Trusted Him, Feds Say
Ex-NJ Library Staffer Admits Embezzling $3.2M From Couple Who Trusted Him, Feds Say A Passaic County man and former tech administrator at a Bergen County library admitted to embezzling more than $3.2 million from a local couple who had hired him as a part-time personal assistant, federal prosecutors said. Charles Gallo, 34, of Hawthorne, pleaded guilty in Newark federal court to one count of wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba said Friday, May 2. Gallo began working for the victims in 2018, helping manage their bills, banking, emails, and tech issues, court documents say. From March 2022 to March 2023, Gallo used his access to steal millions, including making ATM withdra…
Office Manager Admits To Embezzling $350K From Union County Synagogue, Feds Say Office Manager Admits To Embezzling $350K From Union County Synagogue, Feds Say
Office Manager Admits To Embezzling $350K From Union County Synagogue, Feds Say A 52-year-old Scotch Plains woman pleaded guilty on Thursday, March 20, to embezzling more than $350,000 from a Union County synagogue she worked at, authorities said. In 2010, Stacy Margaritondo began working at Congregation Beth Israel in Scotch Plains and was later promoted to bookkeeper and office manager in July 2020, U.S. Attorney John Giordano said. Margaritondo’s duties included accounting/bookkeeping, payroll, preparing checks for accounts payable, and reporting to the synagogue’s board of directors regarding the synagogue’s financial condition, Giordano said. From Dec. 2019 to Ma…
Former Hoboken Employee Embezzled City Funds Into His Own Bank Account: Feds Former Hoboken Employee Embezzled City Funds Into His Own Bank Account: Feds
Former Hoboken Employee Embezzled City Funds Into His Own Bank Account: Feds The former Hoboken Director of Health and Human Services admitted on Thursday, Dec. 12 to embezzling money from the city, authorities said. Leo Pellegrini, who also served as director of the Department of Environmental Services diverted payments intended for the city to bank accounts he controlled, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said. Pellegrini also embezzled money from the city by submitting invoices for his personal business expenses, which the city unknowingly paid, Sellinger said. Pellegrini also pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return in Newark Federal Court. Pellegrini's position …
Former CFO From Westfield Gets Five Years For Stealing Millions From Law Firm: AG Former CFO From Westfield Gets Five Years For Stealing Millions From Law Firm: AG
Former CFO From Westfield Gets Five Years For Stealing Millions From Law Firm: AG A 61-year-old Westfield resident was sentenced on Friday, July 26, to five years in prison after he admitted to embezzling over $1.5 million from the law firm where he worked as chief financial officer, the New Jersey Attorney General's Office said. John Dunlea was the CFO at McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, a national law firm based in Morristown, Attorney General Matthew  Platkin said. Between 2017 and 2022, Dunlea misappropriated funds from the firm by paying himself $1.2 million. He also rung up $355,256 in charges on the company credit card, paying for flights, hotels a…
Office Manager Embezzled $350K From North Jersey Synagogue, Feds Say Office Manager Embezzled $350K From North Jersey Synagogue, Feds Say
Office Manager Embezzled $350K From North Jersey Synagogue, Feds Say A 51-year-old Scotch Plains woman is charged with embezzling more than $350,000 from a Union County synagogue she worked at, authorities said.  In 2010, Stacy Margaritondo began working at Congregation Beth Israel in Scotch Plains and was later promoted to bookkeeper and office manager in July 2020, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said.  Margaritondo’s duties included accounting/bookkeeping, payroll, preparing checks for accounts payable, and reporting to the synagogue’s board of directors regarding the synagogue’s financial condition, Sellinger said. From Dec. 2019 to May 20…