By: Richard L. Smith
An Elizabeth man has been arrested for orchestrating an elaborate scheme that defrauded a senior citizen of more than $1.6 million over two years, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced.
Elijah Ray, 25, has been charged with multiple offenses, including second-degree theft by deception, second-degree impersonation, third-degree forgery, and third-degree theft by unlawful taking.
The investigation, led by detectives from the Union County Prosecutor’s Special Prosecutions Unit, uncovered a prolonged and deceptive scheme that ran from January 2022 to August 2024.
According to investigators, Ray targeted an elderly family friend, using a series of fabricated documents, impersonating representatives of a commercial driving school, and making fraudulent claims to exploit the victim.
Over 1,600 fraudulent transactions were identified, with losses totaling more than $1.6 million.
Ray also allegedly stole the victim’s ATM card and wrote unauthorized checks from her account, further adding to the financial damage.
On the morning of November 25, 2024, Ray was arrested at his residence in Elizabeth without incident.
He was transported to the Union County Jail, where he awaits a detention hearing. 
Authorities emphasized the seriousness of the charges, noting the vulnerability of elderly victims in financial scams.
Prosecutor Daniel commended the detectives involved in the investigation and urged the public to remain vigilant against similar fraudulent schemes.