Wayne NJ police arrested two Mahwah New Jersey residents who allegedly committed fraud when they solicited donations to a fake charity.
According to Wayne law enforcement, the fraud was committed outside the Stop & Shop located in the Preakness Shopping Center in Wayne, New Jersey.
The Wayne Police Department received a call about a man and a woman fraudulently soliciting donations for a fake veterans charity. The call came from a representative of the actual charity, Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon. The representative told Wayne detectives that the suspects had provided false documents to grocery store workers so that they would be allowed to set up outside the store.
The real Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon charity is based out of Fair Lawn, NJ. The charity collects donations to assist servicemen and servicewomen who have been wounded and who need help transitioning from the military to civilian life.
The suspects, a 59-year-old man from Mahwah and a 57-year-old female from Mahwah, have been charged with wrongful impersonation and theft by deception.
After being placed under arrest and charged, the suspects were taken to Wayne NJ police headquarters. Once the suspects were processed, they were released on summonses. The suspects will have to make appearances in Wayne Municipal Court at a later date in order to address the criminal charges against them.
While the charges are pending, the Wayne Police Department is actively investigating the suspects. Anyone who has information about the alleged fake charity should contact investigators at 973-694-0600.
For additional information about this case, go to the NJ.com article, “N.J. Duo Accused of Fraudulently Posing as Veterans Charity.”
