Elizabeth Man Charged In Million-Dollar Theft Scheme On Senior Citizen
Thursday, November 28, 2024, 7:30 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
ELIZABETH, NJ.- On Wednesday, November 27, 2024, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel reported that a 25-year-old Elizabeth, New Jersey, man has been taken into custody and jailed in connection with a million-dollar theft scheme that preyed upon an elderly female family friend.
Elijah Ray, 25, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, was formally charged by Detectives with one count of second-degree Theft by Deception; one count of second-degree Criminal Impersonation; one count of third-degree Forgery; and one count of third-degree Theft by Unlawful Taking.
Ray was taken into custody without incident by Detectives of the Union County Prosecutor’s Office Special Prosecutions Unit at his Elizabeth residence during the morning hour of Monday, November 25, 2024. After being processed on the charges, Ray was remanded to the Union County Jail pending a pretrial detention hearing in Union County Superior Court.
The charges are the result of a criminal investigation conducted by Detectives of the Special Prosecutions Unit. Detectives determined that Ray had engaged in a years-long deceptive theft scheme that began in January 2022 and lasted through August 2024, targeting an elderly family friend.
Detectives discovered that through a series of fabricated documents, impersonation of commercial driving school representatives, and fraudulent statements, Ray defrauded the victim on at least 1,600 occasions for a total of over $1.6 million.
In addition to the criminal fraud scheme, Ray stole and used the woman’s ATM debit card and wrote numerous checks against her account.
“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.”
