The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office recently charged the former executive director of a non-profit organization located in East Orange, New Jersey with conspiracy, theft, and financial facilitation of criminal activity, for allegedly stealing almost $400,000 from business over the course of five years.
64-year-old North Brunswick resident Lancie Marchan, the former executive director of the East Orange Revitalization and Development Corporation, a not-for-profit low-income housing development company, was arrested on Thursday, February 6th by officials from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office as well as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. According to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Marchan is accused of embezzling over $380,000 in funds, which she allegedly used to pay for gifts and personal vacations, between 2005 and 2010.
During this time, Marchan was making $93,163.50 per year as an employee of the non-profit, which was in the process of coordinating with a private corporation in a low-income housing development project named Princeton Estates Phase II. Per reports, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development was partially financing the project.
Marchan’s brothers, Plainfield, New Jersey resident Artemus Werts and Virginia resident Arthur Werts, both 66, are facing the same charges for allegedly facilitating Marchan in the alleged crimes. They have yet to be taken into custody.
Of the crimes for which they are accused, theft offenses are codified under N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3a, and can be classified as second, third, or fourth degree crimes, as well as disorderly persons offenses, depending upon the circumstances of the specific case. With respect to the charges against Marchan and her brothers, they are likely accused of committing second degree theft offenses, due to the fact that the amount allegedly stolen totaled over $75,000. Second degree offenses are punishable by a term of incarceration ranging from 5 to 10 years in New Jersey State Prison.
Marchan is currently being held at the Essex County Jail, with her bail set at $50,000. If she is ultimately found guilty of all of the charges, Marchan could be facing a prison term of up to 20 years.
For more information pertaining to this case, access the following article: Former director of East Orange non-profit, twin brothers indicted on embezzlement charges
