EXCLUSIVE: A former employee at the Rockleigh plant of a company that distributed printed materials accessed information for at least 20 co-workers that allowed him to steal more than $75,000 from their 401k accounts, an indictment returned by a Bergen County grand jury alleges.
Maurice Golden, 33, of East Orange, originally was charged with stealing $50,000 when he was arrested in July on identity theft and trafficking charges following an investigation by Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli’s White Collar Crimes Squad.
Detectives also charged him with obstruction and hindering apprehension after he insisted that he was actually his younger brother, Molinelli said at the time.
“Fingerprints later confirmed his true identity,” the prosecutor said.
According to a seven-count indictment returned Tuesday in Hackensack, more losses were uncovered following Golden’s July 23 arrest.
In addition, he is charged with trying to prevent a Hackensack city detective from investigating the case “by intimidation, force, violence or physical interference.”
Jersey City police have also obtained a detainer for Golden in connection with another crime, records show.
Golden worked at the E-Commerce Division of Publishers Circulation Fulfillment as it was closing its King Road facility as part of company downsizing, Molinelli said.
Using “access to the documents and computer terminals that contained the personal identifying information of his fellow employees, including information about the employees’ corporate sponsored 401K accounts maintained with Fidelity Brokerage Services,” Golden lifted names, Social Security numbers and birthdates to reset passwords on the acounts, the prosecutor said.
He then transferred funds to other accounts, borrowed funds against the accounts or withdraw cash outright, he said.
Golden, however, used his own phone and computer — leaving digital fingerprints — while impersonating his victims, Molinelli said.
Golden remained held on $150,000 bail in the Bergen County Jail.
MUGSHOT: Courtesy BERGEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE