A Hoboken man was among nine individuals that were charged with filing fraudulent applications to receive Superstorm Sandy relief from the federal government, Attorney General Chris Porrino announced.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Jerry Gustoso II, 44, of Hoboken, is charged with second-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree unsworn falsification, officials said.
accused of filing fraudulent applications for FEMA assistance, a low-interest SBA disaster-relief loan, state grants under the Homeowner Resettlement Program (RSP) and the Sandy Homeowner and Renter Assistance Program (SHRAP) funded by the state Department of Human Services.
As a result, he received a total of approximately $213,234 in relief funds. Gustoso allegedly falsely claimed in his applications that a home he owns a Bayville home, which was damaged by Superstorm Sandy was his primary residence at the time Sandy struck.
However, according to authorities, his primary residence was in Hoboken, and the Bayville home was a seasonal vacation home.
As a result of the alleged fraudulent applications, Gustoso received $2,270 from FEMA, $186,800 in SBA loan proceeds, a $10,000 RSP grant, and SHRAP funds totaling $14,164.
“We charge that these defendants stole from disaster relief programs and by extension from the victims who were hardest hit by the storm,†Porrino said in a statement.
“We’ll continue to charge every cheat we identify who diverted funds from these recovery programs and from victims in need.â€
Debra Reddick, 58, of Newark, her son and daughter, Thomas Jamar Reddick, 34 of Newark, and Lateefah Reddick, 38, of East Orange, Debra Reddick’s niece Neima Jones, 32 of East Orange, and another relative of Debra Reddick, Kevin Osborne, 55, of Newark have been charged with similar crimes.
Additionally, Michael Casey, 51, of Point Pleasant, Judith McMahon, 47, of Manahawkin, Sandipkumar Patel, 43, of Edison, have also been charged with filing fraudulent claims.
As Hudson County View first reported, a Hoboken police officer was charged by the state AG’s Office of receiving $187,074 in Superstorm Sandy aid back in June.
Gustoso is represented by Edward Dimon, of Toms River’s Carluccio, Leone, Dimone, Doyle & Sacks, LLC, who declined to comment late this afternoon.
What happen to that Friday story about jcmc accused of massive tax fraud pretending being a non profit? Oh, I see. Story would require an actual old fashion journalistic job: picking up a telephone. As opposed to this omg story shoved down the throat already pre digested.
Ps: jcmc was buried in entire list of fake non profit hospitals, following Morristown mc collapsed tax fraud case.
I don’t know how these two things are related to you lol, but ok, you made your point. Do you really think any official will publicly respond to these types of very damning accusations though? We’re working on it.
Our ship is sinking. We are past the point of writing polite letters to criminals in office.
Now, when will they charge fulop for using sandy money to finance repeating the failure, aka fraud?
There are many good, honest, hardworking members of the Hoboken Police Department.
Unfortunately the rotten apples get the press.
Thats nothing new LETS FIND OUT HOW MUCH THE MAJOR GOT FOR ALLOWING UBER TO OPERATE IN THE CITY WITHOUT A STATE LIC !!!!!