By: Najla Alexander
NJ AG authorities announced that a Passaic County man was arrested in connection with his role in embezzling approximately $2.9 million from an elderly couple.
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said Charles Gallo, 34, of Hawthorne, is charged by complaint with one count of wire fraud.
He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte and was released on a $100,000 unsecured bond, officials stated.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Officials said in 2018, an elderly New Jersey couple hired Gallo to work as a part-time personal assistant at their residence.
Gallo’s duties included managing the victims’ monthly bills and banking and assisting them with email and other computer/technology-related issues, officials say.
From March 2022 through March 2023, according to officials, Gallo used his position to engage in a fraudulent scheme to misappropriate approximately $2.9 million from the victims’ accounts.
Officials stated that Gallo accomplished this fraud by routinely using the victims’ ATM card to withdraw large amounts of money, opening a line of credit, cashing checks made payable to himself drawn on the victims’ bank accounts, and using the victims’ credit cards to purchase computer equipment, gaming systems, collectible items from online retailers, and other unauthorized transactions.
The wire fraud charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest, officials said.