Stafford Man Sentenced To Six Months In Jail For 9-11 Charity Scam

Thomas Scalgione of Stafford was sent to jail for six months on Friday, but his accomplice, Mark Niemczyk of Tinton Falls, escaped a jail term when a judge sentenced the pair for collecting thousands of dollars in donations in a 9/11 scam on the guise that it would go to help families of those killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, according to a report in the Asbury Park Press.

To read more about the sentencing proceedings, click here http://www.app.com/article/20140307/NJNEWS14/303070049/9-11-scam

The state Attorney General's Office conducted an investigation that revealed that Niemczyk bought a Ford F-150 pickup truck in June 2010 and had it custom-painted with 9/11 themes, including the World Trade Center towers, the logos of the New York City police and fire departments, and the names of the first responders who perished in New York on 9/11.

Niemczyk and Scalgione worked as partners to bring the truck to 9/11 events both inside and outside New Jersey, where they sold T-shirts and collected donations.

Scalgione acted as the “public relations” person, making arrangements for their participation at 9/11 events with the truck, according to the Attorney General's Office.  The men were not registered with the State of New Jersey as a charitable organization as required by law.

The defendants were later indicted in connection with their sale of T-shirts and collection of cash donations from June 1, 2010 through July 4, 2012. The two men purchased hundreds of T-shirts that were printed with 9/11 themes similar to those painted on the truck.