Nutley Woman Charged With Filing Phony Superstorm Sandy Claims

Nutley, NJ - Authorities announced that a Nutley woman was among eight additional individuals to be charged criminally on Tuesday for allegedly filing fraudulent Superstorm Sandy-related applications for federal relief funds.

According to the NJ Office of the Attorney General, Sandra L. Elliott, 44, of Nutley, allegedly obtained a total of $93,055 by filing false applications following Superstorm Sandy for state grants under the Homeowner Resettlement Program (RSP) and the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation (RREM) Program.

Prosecutors are alleging that Elliott falsely claimed a storm-damaged property in Brick that she co-owns with her parents was her primary residence at the time Sandy hit.

Authorities allege that Elliott’s primary residence was really in Nutley, and the Brick property was a vacation home.

According to prosecutors, Elliott received a $10,000 RSP grant and a total of $83,055 in RREM grant payments to repair the Brick property. She also allegedly submitted fraudulent rent receipts that falsely indicated that she had leased her Nutley home to a renter prior to the storm, authorities stated.

In addition, Elliott is accused of applying for a low-interest SBA disaster-relief loan, which was ultimately rejected.

Authorities charged Elliott with second-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree unsworn falsification.

According to prosecutors, since March of 2014, the Attorney General’s Office has filed criminal charges against 45 people for allegedly engaging in this type of fraud.

The HUD funds are administered in New Jersey by the Department of Community Affairs.

• See related article: Sandy Leaves Belleville, Nutley Without Power

File photo: Flooding damage following Superstorm Sandy