HACKETTSTOWN, NJ (Warren County) – A Hunterdon County man was charged after he allegedly stole nearly $57,000 from the Hackettstown Livestock Auction Cooperative, according to the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office.
Members of the cooperative reported to the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office that they were missing approximately $57,000 in cash payments due from customers for livestock purchased at auction between 2016 and 2017, authorities said.
They identified Howard Hoffman, 66, of Annadale as the Auction Master for the cooperative and therefore responsible for taking payment from purchasers and depositing into the cooperative’s bank accounts, authorities said.
A review of the financial records of the cooperative revealed a cash shortfall of $56,810 during 2016 and 2017. A review of Hoffman’s bank statements revealed $56,300 in cash deposits into his personal bank account through a variety of ATMs. Cash deposits in years prior to 2016 and after 2017 were discovered to be a small fraction of what was deposited during these two years, prosecutor’s office said.
The Warren County Prosecutor’s Office was assisted by the New Jersey Department of Treasury’s Division of Taxation Office of Criminal Investigation (“OCI”). OCI determined that Hoffman failed to pay tax on the $56,300 in ATM deposits, authorities said.
Hoffman was charged on Nov. 3 with third-degree theft by unlawful taking, third-degree filing a fraudulent tax return, and third-degree failure to pay tax and has pending a court appearance.
