By: Richard L. Smith
A woman from Union County has been charged with embezzling more than $350,000 from a Union County synagogue, as announced by U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.
Stacy Margaritondo, 51, of Scotch Plains, New Jersey, faces one count of wire fraud.
She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court and was released on a $100,000 unsecured bond.
According to court documents and statements, Margaritondo began working at the synagogue in 2010 and was promoted to office manager and bookkeeper in July 2020.
Her responsibilities included accounting, payroll, preparing checks, and reporting financial conditions to the synagogue's board of directors.
Between December 2019 and May 2023, Margaritondo allegedly misappropriated approximately $350,000 by issuing unauthorized checks to herself, obtaining unauthorized funds using the synagogue's name and documents, and altering bank statements to conceal her actions.
The wire fraud charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater.
