Former Superior Court of New Jersey contractor indicted
This report comes from Joel Bewley at the Burlington County Prosecutor’s office:
Burlington County Prosecutor Robert D. Bernardi announced that a former contractor for the state Superior Court system who collected and disbursed debts owed to creditors has been indicted for misappropriating nearly $75,000.
The man, age 53, formerly of Sicklerville, was indicted on one count of elements of computer theft (second degree), one count of theft by deception (third degree) and one count of misapplication of entrusted property (third degree). The indictment was returned June 19.
The man worked as a special civil part court officer for the Superior Court of New Jersey, Burlington County Vicinage. The man was not a court employee. He was an independent contractor who provided the service of collecting and processing payments from debtors.
The funds were then placed into an account and transferred to the creditors, with the man receiving a commission for each transaction.
In January 2011, the court system announced that the man was no longer authorized to perform the duties of a special civil part court officer.
A subsequent audit of his accounting records and activities revealed that since August 2009 the man had illegally obtained and/or commingled $74,383 in funds above the amount he was permitted to retain in commissions.
The man is not in custody at this time. He is considered a fugitive and an arrest warrant has been issued.
The investigation was conducted by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office Financial Crimes Unit with assistance from the New Jersey Administrative Office of the Courts.
