TRENTON
— Attorney General Peter C. Harvey
today announced that the former Municipal
Finance Officer for the Township of Hainesport,
Burlington County, has pleaded guilty
in criminal court to a charge of official
misconduct for her role in diverting more
than $339,000 in township monies into
a special account. The monies were then
used by the defendant and others for personal
expenses. The investigation by the Attorney
General’s Division of Criminal Justice
- Special Prosecutions Bureau is continuing.
The guilty plea was today entered before
Burlington County Superior Court Judge
Marvin E. Schlosser.
“We
are continuing to aggressively investigate
and prosecute public corruption cases
whether the acts are committed by appointed
or elected officials,” Attorney
General Harvey said. “This ongoing
investigation demonstrates our commitment
to rooting out public corruption in the
state of New Jersey.”
According to Vaughn L. McKoy, Director,
Division of Criminal Justice, the Special
Prosecutions Bureau filed a criminal Accusation
which charged Kristine Wisnewski, 32,
Maple Lane, Hainesport, Burlington County,
with one count of second degree official
misconduct. In pleading guilty, Wisnewski
faces up to ten years in state prison,
a fine of up to $150,000, and the payment
of restitution in an amount determined
by the Court. Additionally, Wisnewski
will be barred from holding future public
employment. Wisnewski resigned her public
position in August, 2003.
“In
pleading guilty to official misconduct,
this defendant admitted to diverting hundreds
of thousands of dollars in municipal funds
for personal use by herself and others.
As importantly, the defendant has agreed
to cooperate with ongoing criminal investigations
being conducted by the Special Prosecutions
Bureau,” said Director McKoy. “The
outcome of this prosecution serves the
public interest and the interests of justice.
The investigation is ongoing and additional
charges against other individuals is anticipated.”
The Accusation alleges that from November,
2000 through September, 2001, Wisnewski,
the former Municipal Finance Officer for
Hainesport Township, diverted more than
$339,000 from various township accounts
into a special “Mayor’s Fund.”
The ongoing investigation by the Special
Prosecutions Bureau, in conjunction with
independent audits conducted by Hainesport
Township, determined that funds from municipal
accounts including the Counsel on Affordable
Housing (COAH), the Public Assistance
Fund, and recreation, capital improvement
and sewer fund monies were diverted to
the “Mayor’s Fund. The embezzled
funds were then used by Wisnewski and
others for personal expenses. Public records
indicate that Ronald Corn was the Hainesport
Mayor and Director of Public Safety during
the period of the alleged embezzlement.
Wisnewski, a Hainesport Township public
employee since 1994, was arrested by New
Jersey State Police detectives assigned
to the Division of Criminal Justice -
Special Prosecutions Bureau on Sept. 2.
In announcing the Accusation, Attorney
General Harvey noted that the Division
of Criminal Justice has established a
toll-free “Corruption Tipline”
for the public to report corruption, financial
crime and other illegal activities. The
statewide “Corruption TipLine”
is: 1-866-TIPS-4CJ. Additionally,
the public can log-on to the Division
of Criminal Justice Web Page at www.njdcj.org
to electronically report suspected wrongdoing.
All information received via the Division
of Criminal Justice “Corruption
Tipline” will remain confidential.
McKoy noted that the Division of Criminal
Justice - Special Prosecutions Bureau
ongoing investigation is targeting accounting
irregularities involving possible diverted
funds from various Hainesport Township
municipal accounts. The prosecution is
being handled by Deputy Attorney General
Susan Kase of the Division of Criminal
Justice - Special Prosecutions Bureau.
The corruption investigation was conducted
by New Jersey State Police Det. II Gerald
Nachurski and Det. Thomas Goletz and State
Investigator Kiersten Pentony assigned
to the Special Prosecutions Bureau.
Wisnewski is scheduled to be sentenced
on March 3, 2004, by Burlington County
Superior Court Judge Schlosser.
A copy of the Accusation, plea agreement
and Waiver of Indictment is available
via the Division of Criminal Justice Web
Page at: www.njdcj.org.
