TRENTON
- Attorney General Peter C. Harvey announced
that the Division
of Criminal Justice - Special Prosecutions
Bureau which targets public and government
corruption has obtained a State Grand
Jury indictment charging the former Treasurer
of the New Jersey State Conference of
NAACP Branches with embezzling more than
$23,000 of entrusted funds.
“This
investigation was initiated and referred
to my office by Keith Jones, when he became
President of the New Jersey NAACP in January,
2004. In May, Jones received authorization
from the national NAACP General Counsel
to refer the allegations to law enforcement
for an investigation, and if warranted,
prosecution. At that time, I referred
the matter to the Division of Criminal
Justice to begin a full and complete investigation,”
said Attorney General Harvey. “My
office has developed a partnership of
trust and open communication with New
Jersey’s community and business
organizations. We will continue to work
with the private sector leadership to
also investigate allegations of corruption
and criminal activity. Non-profit organizations
like the NAACP need every dime contributed
to them to do their important work that
sometimes others overlook. We will help
such organizations protect their funds
from corrupt individuals who allow greed
and corruption to guide their actions,”
said Attorney General Harvey.
According to Vaughn L. McKoy, Director,
Division of Criminal Justice, Sonja J.
Daniels, 35, 300 block, Second Street,
Hackensack, Bergen County, was charged
via a State Grand Jury indictment with
theft by unlawful taking (3rd degree).
If convicted, Daniels faces up to five
years in state prison and a fine of up
to $15,000.
The State Grand Jury indictment alleges
that from January, 2002 to February, 2003,
Daniels, as the elected Treasurer of the
New Jersey State Conference of NAACP Branches,
misappropriated $23,348 from a NAACP checking
account. In her position as Treasurer,
Daniels was responsible for maintaining
the NAACP’s financial records and
issuing checks in payment of NAACP obligations.
The New Jersey State Conference of NAACP
Branches is located at 30 Clinton Street
in Newark.
The indictment charges that 13 improperly
issued NAACP checks were made payable
to Daniels, her then-fiancé Charles
Wilson (present husband), or to cash.
It is alleged that the checks were cashed
and the proceeds used by Daniels for personal
expenses. The indictment charges that
an additional four NAACP checks were issued
to unauthorized third-party payees with
ties to Daniels, including payments to
a school camp for her child, insurance
payments for her private vehicle, and
to a wedding caterer. Daniels was removed
from her elected position with the NAACP
in July, 2004.
Internal audits conducted by the NAACP’s
Special Finance Committee which uncovered
the unauthorized expenditures were reported
to the Attorney General by NAACP President
Jones in May, 2004. State Investigator
Barbara Gusciora and Deputy Attorney Perry
Primavera assigned to the Division of
Criminal Justice - Special Prosecutions
Bureau coordinated the investigation.
DAG Primavera presented the case to the
State Grand Jury.
The State Grand Jury indictment was handed-up
to Mercer County Superior Court Judge
Linda R. Feinberg on Dec. 13. An indictment
is an accusation and the defendant is
presumed innocent until proven guilty
in a court of law.
Additional information, including a copy
of the State Grand Jury indictment is
available via the Division of Criminal
Justice Web site at www.njdcj.org.
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