Construction Company Owner & Father Charged With Bilking Jersey City Church
Friday, October 11, 2024, 5:45 P.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
JERSEY CITY, NJ.- Following an investigation into a reported theft, a Bergen County construction company owner and his father were arrested this week and charged in connection with an alleged theft scheme that bilked a Jersey City, New Jersey, church out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
According to Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez, Christopher Poppe, 35, and Glen Poppe, 65, both of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, are each charged with second-degree Theft by Deception; and second-degree Conspiracy to Commit Theft by Deception. Christopher Poppe has been additionally charged with three counts of fourth-degree Forgery.
Father And Son Charged
Christopher Poppe and Glen Poppe were arrested at the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office in Secaucus, New Jersey, on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, and Thursday, October 10, 2024. Both Christopher and Glen were processed on the charges and released on a complaint summons pending their first appearance in Hudson County Central Judicial Processing Court, which has been tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, October 15, 2024.
The charges stem from an investigation that began when Detectives of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Unit launched an investigation following a report of deceptive business practices involving theft.
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During the investigation, Detectives uncovered that in 2021, Centurion Companies, a business associated with and owned by the Poppe’s, was hired by St. George & St. Shenouda Coptic Church in Jersey City, New Jersey, to perform construction work. The investigation found the church issued Centurion Companies payments in excess of $350,000 to pay third-party contractors for additional services. Falsified billing records were submitted to the church, indicating the third-party contractors were paid when the money had not been dispersed.
“The rules of the court require us to include a statement that states: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations, and the defendant and or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.”
