State Attorney General's Office Charges Five More - Including Police Officer - With Sandy Fraud

The state Attorney General's Office is doggedly pursuing residents they say scammed Superstorm Sandy funds illegally.

This week, they added five more to the list, bringing the number to 62 residents.

“Each of these defendants knew the requirements to qualify for this disaster aid, but each selfishly lied about their circumstances to steal funding intended for those hardest hit by Sandy, namely homeowners who were left homeless and displaced renters forced to pay for new leases,” Acting Attorney General Robert Lougy said in a statement. “It’s a sad truth that even in the direst of emergencies, when so many generous people step forward to lend a hand, there are others who will dishonestly exploit an offer of assistance.

News reports say one defendant, Nikola Lulaj, 42, is a Hoboken police officer. Hoboken police didn't immediately returned a call seeking Lulaj's employment information. State pension records show a man by that name employed by the department, according to app.com.

Lulaj, Seaside Heights, is accused of filing false applications for FEMA assistance, a disaster relief loan, and state grants, totaling $187,074 in relief funds. He claimed a storm-damaged house he owns on Webster Avenue in Seaside Heights was his primary residence, but he actually lived in Dumont at the time of the storm. Lulaj is charged with second-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree unsworn falsification.

Rachel Bryant, 53, Philadelphia, is accused of receiving $23,918 by filing false applications for FEMA assistance and state grants. She claimed to be living in a storm-damaged home that she and her mother owned on McKinley Avenue in Atlantic City, when she was actually living elsewhere. She was, charged with third-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree-unsworn falsification.

Pat G. Angelastro, 46, Ortley Beach, is accused of getting $10,000 by falsely claiming he owned a home on Fielder Avenue in Ortley Beach when Sandy struck, according to the statement. Authorities say that while he did live in the storm-damaged home, he didn't own it, his parents did. He is charged with third-degree theft by deception.

Gordon Sinclair, 40, Summit, is accused of filing false applications for FEMA rental assistance and a state grant totaling $12,270. Authorities say he falsely claimed his primary residence was a storm-damaged home on Moonrise Lane in Lavallette. But his primary residence was a Hoboken apartment. The Lavallette home is a vacation home. Sinclair is charged with third-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree unsworn falsification.

Catherine Alvira-Przybylski, 45, Keyport, received $9,775 in FEMA rental assistance by falsely claiming she had to pay rent that she didn't actually pay. When Sandy hit, she lived in an apartment in Seaside Heights that was damaged by the storm and was forced to relocate. While she got some legitimate FEMA assistance. authorities say she submitted false receipts showing she paid rent herself when her rent was actually paid with relief funds or not paid at all. Alvira-Przybylski is charged with third-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree unsworn falsification.

“We need to ensure that limited disaster relief funds are allocated to eligible victims who have the greatest needs,” Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice said. “Through these prosecutions, we’re sending a message of zero tolerance that should deter this criminal conduct in future emergencies, so relief administrators can focus on recovery instead of policing fraud.”

Photos from top down: Lulaj, Bryant, Angelastro, Sinclair, and Alvira-Przybylski. All courtesy of the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General.