Tax collector for 3 Warren County towns indicted for allegedly stealing $824K in residents’ payments
WARREN COUNTY, NJ – The municipal tax collector for White, Harmony, and Lopatcong townships was indicted Thursday by a Hunterdon County Grand Jury after a two-year investigation into the misappropriation of approximately $824,000 in property tax money paid by residents between 2013 and 2018, Warren County Prosecutor James Pfeiffer said.
The indictment alleges that, instead of depositing the cash payments of residents into the townships’ bank accounts, Rachellyn (nee: Edinger) Mosher, 50, of Lopatcong Township would keep the money and then tamper with the subsequent entries into the townships’ computer, Pfeiffer said.
The indictment also alleges that Mosher stole approximately $166,000 from White Township, approximately $124,000 from Harmony Township, and approximately $534,000 from Lopatcong Township, Pfeiffer said.
Mosher is charged with first-degree corruption of public resources, six counts of second-degree official misconduct, one count of second-degree pattern of official misconduct; three counts of second-degree computer theft, one count of second-degree theft by unlawful taking, and three counts of third-degree counts of tampering with public records or information.
First-degree offenses carry a maximum penalty of twenty (20) years in New Jersey State Prison, second-degree offenses carry a maximum penalty of ten (10) years in New Jersey State Prison, and third-degree offenses carry a maximum penalty of five (5) years in New Jersey State Prison.
The Warren County Prosecutor’s Office conducted the investigation alongside the New Jersey State Police Official Corruption North Unit.
