A former Flagler Beach pastor was convicted Thursday of playing a role in a fraud scheme to dupe several of his friends and fellow church members out of nearly $400,000.
A jury deliberated about 90 minutes before finding Wesley Brown guilty on 19 of the 31 charges he stood accused of to culminate a three-day trial inside the Kim C. Hammond Justice Center.
Circuit Court Judge Dennis Craig, who presided over the trial, ordered a pre-sentencing report before he determines Brown's prison term. Craig revoked his bond and deputies took him into custody immediately after the trial. Attorneys agreed to schedule a sentencing hearing for Brown in about 60 days.
The verdict was the end of a more than three-year journey for the victims, several of whom remained in the courtroom and watched as deputies ushered Brown away in handcuffs. His wife sat in the front row of the courtroom gallery and sobbed as Brown was fingerprinted before being detained.
Assistant State Attorney Tim Pribisco, who characterized Brown's fraud and embezzlement tactics as a Ponzi scheme in his opening statements, said it was part of a nationwide network that included victims from Naples to New York. One of those victims was a Yonkers, New York, woman who testified Wednesday afternoon
Testimony began Tuesday in the trial with Brown, 54, facing a barrage of embezzlement and securities fraud charges. The most severe of those, organized scheme to defraud, is a first-degree felony that holds a 30-year maximum prison sentence. Brown was found guilty on that offense.
The jury also convicted him on three counts of sale of unregistered securities, two counts of securities fraud, four counts of theft, and nine counts of sale of securities by an unregistered dealer.
Brown targeted six people in his scheme, some of them friends from two churches he attended, and other local residents. Brown was a volunteer pastor at Calvary Chapel Flagler Beach, one of the churches that served as his recruiting grounds, and led Bible studies there.
Showing posts with label New Jersey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Jersey. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Ex-NJCU production manager 'deeply regrets' stealing $87K from school
A former production manager for the Music, Dance and Theater Department at New Jersey City University was sentenced to three years in prison today for embezzling $87,600 from the school.
“I deeply regret I can no longer be part of something that was so important to me,” said Kathleen Peet, 37, of Rochelle Park, before being sentenced by Hudson County Superior Court Judge Mitzy Galis-Menendez.
“I stand here today in acknowledging the fact that when one does wrong, there will be consequences.”
Peet and her attorney asked Galis-Menendez to sentence the former NJCU employee to probation only but the judge denied their request.
“It is a serious offense when you are a state employee entrusted to handle money and you are taking the money for yourself," Galis-Menendez said.
Peet was responsible for the box office receipts from performances of the school's Music, Dance and Theater Department and she turned them over to the Bursar’s Office, typically once or twice per semester. She admitted that she stole from the cash receipts while they were in her custody.
The university discovered that the deposits to the bursar did not match the box office receipts and an audit revealed about $60,000 was missing from 2008 through 2013. Peet was suspended without pay in October 2013 and resigned the following month.
The Division of Criminal Justice's investigation revealed additional thefts prior to 2008 bringing the total to $87,587.
“White collar crime doesn’t just affect the bottom line, it affects people – in this case, the students involved in performing arts at this university,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “By sending this woman to prison, we send a powerful deterrent message to others who might engage in this type of embezzlement.”
in court today, Peet read a lengthy statement at the sentencing, often stopping to wipe tears from her eyes. After the sentencing, she was led from court in handcuffs.
“I deeply regret I can no longer be part of something that was so important to me,” said Kathleen Peet, 37, of Rochelle Park, before being sentenced by Hudson County Superior Court Judge Mitzy Galis-Menendez.
“I stand here today in acknowledging the fact that when one does wrong, there will be consequences.”
Peet and her attorney asked Galis-Menendez to sentence the former NJCU employee to probation only but the judge denied their request.
“It is a serious offense when you are a state employee entrusted to handle money and you are taking the money for yourself," Galis-Menendez said.
Peet was responsible for the box office receipts from performances of the school's Music, Dance and Theater Department and she turned them over to the Bursar’s Office, typically once or twice per semester. She admitted that she stole from the cash receipts while they were in her custody.
The university discovered that the deposits to the bursar did not match the box office receipts and an audit revealed about $60,000 was missing from 2008 through 2013. Peet was suspended without pay in October 2013 and resigned the following month.
The Division of Criminal Justice's investigation revealed additional thefts prior to 2008 bringing the total to $87,587.
“White collar crime doesn’t just affect the bottom line, it affects people – in this case, the students involved in performing arts at this university,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “By sending this woman to prison, we send a powerful deterrent message to others who might engage in this type of embezzlement.”
in court today, Peet read a lengthy statement at the sentencing, often stopping to wipe tears from her eyes. After the sentencing, she was led from court in handcuffs.
Friday, August 8, 2014
FRAUD ON CHURCH ALLEGED IN TRENTON, NEW JERSEY
A spokeswoman for the Diocese of Trenton says the accused was an outside contractor to St. James, not an employee as reported, and thus his alleged crime can't be characterized as embezzlement, as stated in the original headline on this post. There's also an update on this story below.]
An employee of outside contractor to St. James Church was indicted Tuesday on charges he embezzled stole more than $75,000 from the Red Bank institution over a six-year period.
An indictment handed down Monday by a Monmouth County grand jury alleges that Robert Ouimet, 49, of Manasquan, issued forged vouchers purporting to have been authorized by someone else, identified only by the initials “R.P.”
The alleged fraud occurred between May, 2007 and November, 2013, the indictment alleges.
Ouimet’s position at the church and other details were not immediately available.
[This update was received from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's office on August 8, 2014: "Robert Ouimet was not employed by the church. He was a vendor who sold ice cream to Red Bank Catholic High School, through the church, several years ago. After his services were terminated, he submitted forged and fraudulent vouchers to the church and continued to accept payment on those vouchers for services not performed between May 2007 and October 2013, resulting in a theft of approximately $216,000."]
An employee of outside contractor to St. James Church was indicted Tuesday on charges he embezzled stole more than $75,000 from the Red Bank institution over a six-year period.
An indictment handed down Monday by a Monmouth County grand jury alleges that Robert Ouimet, 49, of Manasquan, issued forged vouchers purporting to have been authorized by someone else, identified only by the initials “R.P.”
The alleged fraud occurred between May, 2007 and November, 2013, the indictment alleges.
Ouimet’s position at the church and other details were not immediately available.
[This update was received from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's office on August 8, 2014: "Robert Ouimet was not employed by the church. He was a vendor who sold ice cream to Red Bank Catholic High School, through the church, several years ago. After his services were terminated, he submitted forged and fraudulent vouchers to the church and continued to accept payment on those vouchers for services not performed between May 2007 and October 2013, resulting in a theft of approximately $216,000."]
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Suspended New Jersey college staffer admits embezzlement
The suspended office manager for a New Jersey college's student government organization has admitted stealing $502,000 in student funds.
Forty-eight-year-old Shaunette Ruffin-Moody of Jersey City pleaded guilty Thursday to federal charges of embezzlement and conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
She faces up to three years in prison when she's sentenced March 24.
Ruffin-Moody was suspended without pay earlier this year from her job at New Jersey City University in Jersey City. Prosecutors say she and her 51-year-old husband, Alexander Moody, conspired to issue about 219 unauthorized checks made payable to themselves and three others.
The couple also faces state charges related to the thefts.
Forty-eight-year-old Shaunette Ruffin-Moody of Jersey City pleaded guilty Thursday to federal charges of embezzlement and conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
She faces up to three years in prison when she's sentenced March 24.
Ruffin-Moody was suspended without pay earlier this year from her job at New Jersey City University in Jersey City. Prosecutors say she and her 51-year-old husband, Alexander Moody, conspired to issue about 219 unauthorized checks made payable to themselves and three others.
The couple also faces state charges related to the thefts.
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