A Democrat-run New Jersey township sat on the theft of $26 million in public money for more than five weeks, waiting until three days after the election to tell taxpayers what happened to their money. Cranbury Township officials disclosed the fraudulent wire transfer on Nov. 6th, three days after voters handed Democrats a local win that keeps the party in control of every seat on the governing committee. Residents are now demanding answers about why the staggering loss stayed quiet until their ballots were counted.
Cranbury Township Mayor Lisa Knierim announced the loss in a Friday letter to residents, describing it as a “sophisticated financial theft” involving an approximately $26 million wire transfer that took place on Sept. 28th. Knierim, a Democrat, said the stolen funds had been designated for purchasing property to meet the township’s affordable housing obligations. The five-member Township Committee that oversees the small Middlesex County town’s finances is made up entirely of Democrats.
A task force involving local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies, led by the Cranbury Township Police Department and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, has been working to recover the funds, according to the mayor’s statement. So far, investigators have frozen nearly $17.3 million in stolen assets, which leaves approximately $8.7 million outside the reported freeze. The township said the criminal investigation remains active and that additional details cannot be released at this time.
The timing is what set off the backlash. As Fox News reported, Knierim’s announcement came 39 days after the theft and days after the Nov. 3rd elections. In the local race, Democrat Thomas Szczur Jr. defeated Republican Carol Haring with 63.69% of the vote to Haring’s 36.32%, according to election results published by the New Jersey secretary of state’s office. Szczur’s victory preserved Democratic control of all five seats on the Cranbury Township Committee.
Several residents took to the township’s Facebook page to ask why they were kept in the dark. “I’m interested in knowing why this information was kept under wraps until after Election Day,” one commenter wrote. Another asked, “If this occurred on September 28th why is it just now being shared?” As NJ.com reported, resident Ernest Cornell wrote that he is “very interested in understanding what the security breach was and how the shortfall will be made up,” and John Gabriello urged a public hearing “so the taxpayers can ask questions and get answers in real time.”
Knierim’s letter opened by declaring that “one of the most important responsibilities of our Township Committee is to communicate openly and honestly with the community we serve, particularly when faced with difficult circumstances.” She acknowledged the frustration, writing, “We recognize that news of this magnitude will understandably raise questions and concerns among our residents. Those concerns are legitimate, and we take them seriously.” The New Jersey Globe noted that Szczur was Knierim’s preferred candidate, and that her letter offered no explanation for the timing.
The township is now moving to shore up its financial controls. The Township Committee plans to introduce ordinances at its Monday meeting to establish two new positions, assistant township administrator and assistant chief financial officer. Knierim said officials also plan to consider hiring a municipal accounting firm for additional financial consulting support. The township is simultaneously working with insurance carriers to explore potential recovery options.
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See the Fox News report on Cranbury Township’s missing millions here.
Officials have said little about how the theft itself was carried out. The township has not disclosed details of the fraudulent transfer or whether any municipal employees were involved, citing the active criminal investigation. Knierim said Police Chief Giuseppe DeChiara has kept the Township Committee informed throughout the investigation, and Fox News Digital has reached out to the mayor’s office for additional comment.
Knierim has called the theft of public funds “an extremely serious matter” and said the township’s priorities include supporting the investigation, pursuing financial recovery and maintaining municipal operations, as ABC7 New York reported. In her letter, she wrote that “our responsibility as elected officials are not only to respond to this incident, but also to ensure the continued stability and effective operation of Township government.” The committee, she said, intends to fill the two new financial oversight positions “as promptly as possible.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.