Thursday, May 24, 2018

Former Chief Financial Officer Of New Jersey Orthopedic Care Provider Sentenced To Two Years In Prison For Embezzling More Than $1 Million


NEWARK, N.J. – The former chief financial officer of a New Jersey orthopedic care provider was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for stealing more than $1 million from the company for his personal use, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Harry Wolfmuller, 70, formerly of Belmar, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From 2007 through 2015, Wolfmuller was employed as the chief financial officer for “Company A,” an orthopedic care provider with offices in Ocean and Monmouth Counties. As such, Wolfmuller controlled Company A’s bank accounts and financial records.

Wolfmuller cashed checks from Company A’s business accounts to pay for unapproved personal expenses, including meals at restaurants, golf, gambling and lottery tickets. Wolfmuller then misrepresented the nature of these transactions in Company A’s accounting records to make them appear as legitimate business expenses. Altogether Company A lost approximately $1,175,720 as a result of Wolfmuller’s conduct.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Wolfmuller to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $1,175,720.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas P. Grippo of the Economic Crimes Unit and Christopher Amore of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit in Newark.

Defense counsel: Salvatore T. Alfano Esq., Bloomfield, New Jersey, and Louis Esposito Esq., Cedar Grove, New Jersey

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