Prosecutors Allege Former Company Controller Secretly Inflated His Salary, Issued Unauthorized Bonuses, & Used Corporate Funds To Pay Personal Credit Card Expenses

Wednesday, March 4, 2026, 8:15 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

HACKENSACK, NJ.- A 65-year-old North Haledon man has been arrested and charged with theft by deception after authorities say he orchestrated a long-running scheme to divert hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Bergen County corporation where he worked as a financial executive.

     Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of Steven C. Berger, 65, of North Haledon, New Jersey, following an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Financial Crimes Unit under the direction of Chief Jeff Angermeyer.

     According to prosecutors, the investigation began in November 2024 after the Financial Crimes Unit received information regarding the alleged theft of corporate funds by a former company controller employed at a Bergen County-based corporation.

     Detectives launched an extensive financial investigation that included a detailed review of internal accounting documents, payroll records, and credit card transactions.

     Authorities ultimately determined that Berger allegedly engaged in a sustained course of conduct designed to misappropriate company funds for personal benefit.

     Investigators said Berger executed a series of unauthorized salary increases and discretionary bonus payments to himself despite lacking corporate approval or lawful authority to modify his compensation.

     Prosecutors further allege that Berger intentionally used a company-issued credit card for personal purchases unrelated to company operations. A detailed examination of financial records revealed that Berger allegedly diverted corporate funds to pay balances on a personal credit card account that investigators said contained exclusively personal expenses.

     According to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, the alleged scheme resulted in the misappropriation of more than $878,675.80 in company funds.

     As a result of the investigation, Berger was arrested on Monday, March 2, 2026, in North Haledon, New Jersey.

     He was charged with two counts of second-degree theft by deception.

     Under New Jersey law, second-degree crimes carry potential penalties of five to ten years in New Jersey State Prison, along with possible fines of up to $150,000, depending on the outcome of court proceedings.

     Following his arrest, Berger was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending his first appearance in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack.

     The investigation remains ongoing. Authorities have not publicly identified the corporation involved in the alleged financial misconduct.

Editor’s Note:

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant, Steven C. Berger, is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. All charges referenced in this report are based on information released by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office.