Howell Woman Who Stole $2.2M Charged In New Job Theft: Police

HOWELL, NJ — A Howell resident who was previously charged with stealing $2.2 million from her employer in January has been additionally charged with stealing more than $67,000 from her next employer, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey announced Friday.

Donna Cook, 52, was charged for a second time with third-degree theft by unlawful taking, third-degree forgery, and third-degree false uttering. If convicted on the charges, Cook faces up to 10 years in state prison, Linskey said.

Cook was first arrested in January after being accused of stealing company funds by writing herself unauthorized checks, according to an investigation by the Tinton Falls Police Department and the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.

After news coverage of that arrest circulated, Cook's next employer, a Shrewsbury-based excavating company, reviewed its financial records. They soon discovered that from early Nov. 2021 into early Jan. 2022, Cook had allegedly written multiple checks out to cash and additional checks to pay for personal expenses, according to an investigation by the MCPO Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Bureau.

Cook turned herself in again to authorities on Friday, after which she was released with a pending first appearance in Monmouth County Superior Court, Linskey said.

Anyone who may have additional relevant information is encouraged to contact MCPO Detective Michael Acquaviva toll-free at (800) 533-7443.