8 Years In Prison For Manalapan Man Who Scammed Sayreville Couple

MANALAPAN, NJ — A former Manalapan resident who now lives in Florida was sentenced Thursday to serve eight years in a New Jersey state prison after he admitted to preying on a Sayreville couple in a mortgage scheme.

Robert Perniola was also ordered to pay $180,867 in restitution to the couple, the Middlesex County prosecutor said. Middlesex County prosecuted the case, as the victims were a Sayreville husband and wife.

Perniola, 60, now lives in Pompano Beach, Florida, but he resided in Manalapan when the crime occurred, the prosecutor said.

Prosecutors say Perniola offered to help the Sayreville couple refinance their mortgage, as they were in danger of losing their home. They sent money to Perniola on a monthly basis to pay down their mortgage, except he moved the money into other accounts and used the cash for his own personal purposes, prosecutors say. Perniola also charged the couple interest and fees. The couple were in their 30s when this occurred, a spokeswoman for the Middlesex prosecutor told Patch.

Prosecutors say in total, from January 2012 through February 2014, Perniola stole approximately $90,000 from the couple, and caused the victims to default on their mortgage.

Perniola turned himself in 2017, and pleaded guilty on May 23, 2018 to second-degree theft by deception.

The $180,867 restitution was for $90,000 in mortgage payments he stole, and an additional $90,000 for interest costs, fees and a balloon payment the couple was forced to pay, the prosecutor said.

Detective Kevin Schroeck of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office led the investigation.

Previous Patch reporting on Robert Perniola:

Manalapan Man Charged In $75K Mortgage Scam