TRENTON
– Attorney General Stuart Rabner and
Division of Criminal Justice Director Gregory
A. Paw announced today that the former chief
financial officer for Bethlehem Township
in Hunterdon County and Washington Township
in Warren County was indicted today on charges
of theft and official misconduct for allegedly
stealing municipal funds from both towns.
According
to Director Paw, Catherine Gangaware, 45,
of Milford, was named in a five-count state
grand jury indictment charging her with
second-degree offenses of official misconduct
(two counts) and engaging in a pattern of
official misconduct, as well as third-degree
offenses of theft by unlawful taking and
misapplication of entrusted government property.
The
indictment alleges that Gangaware stole
funds from both townships totaling approximately
$12,000 by issuing herself extra paychecks
for no additional work, paying herself longevity
bonuses to which she was not entitled, and
using township funds for unauthorized dental
benefits. Gangaware was suspended by both
Bethlehem and Washington townships in connection
with her alleged conduct, and she resigned
in Washington. She currently is chief financial
officer in Belvidere.
“The
indictment alleges that this defendant used
her position as the chief financial officer
for these townships to steal funds entrusted
by the public to her management,”
said Attorney General Rabner. “We
have zero tolerance for corrupt conduct
of the type alleged here.”
“We
will continue to work with our law enforcement
partners throughout the state to uncover
and prosecute public corruption,”
said Director Paw. “We are dedicating
additional personnel and resources to this
effort.”
It
is alleged specifically that between January
2001 and July 2005, Gangaware paid herself
unauthorized salary and longevity bonuses
totaling more than $6,500 while serving
as chief financial officer for Bethlehem
Township. In 2003, Gangaware also allegedly
paid herself an unauthorized longevity bonus
of more than $400 as chief financial officer
in Washington Township. In addition, it
is alleged that Gangaware used Washington
Township funds to provide dental insurance
for herself and her family to which they
were not entitled. The public funds allegedly
used to cover her dental insurance premiums
from 2000 to 2005 totaled approximately
$5,000. Both Washington Township and Bethlehem
Township uncovered Gangaware’s conduct
through audits performed by outside accountants.
Attorney
General Rabner credited the Warren County
Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction
of Prosecutor Thomas S. Ferguson, and the
Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office,
under the direction of Prosecutor J. Patrick
Barnes, for assisting in the investigation
and referring the case to the Division of
Criminal Justice.
State
Investigator Kiersten Pentony of the Division
of Criminal Justice - Special Prosecutions
Bureau and Detective Sgt. First Class Joseph
Celli of the New Jersey State Police Official
Corruption Unit coordinated the investigation
for the Attorney General. Deputy Attorneys
General Anthony Picione and Robert Czepiel
are handling the case.
Under
state law, second-degree crimes carry a
maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and
a criminal fine of $150,000, while third-degree
crimes carry a maximum sentence of five
years in prison and a fine of $15,000. The
indictment is merely an accusation and the
defendant is presumed innocent until proven
guilty.
Attorney General Rabner and Director Paw
noted that the Division of Criminal Justice
- Special Prosecutions Bureau has established
a toll-free Corruption Tipline for the public
to report corruption, financial crime and
other illegal activities. The statewide
Corruption Tipline is 1-866-TIPS-4CJ.
Additionally, the public can log on to the
Division of Criminal Justice Web site at
www.njdcj.org
to report suspected wrongdoing. All information
received through the Division of Criminal
Justice Corruption Tipline or Web page will
remain confidential.
>>
Gangaware
Indictment (251k pdf) plug-in
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