New Fraud Charges Filed Against Ex-Wildwood Mayor: AG

WILDWOOD, NJ — The former mayor of Wildwood is indicted on new charges stemming from a scheme where he abused his power to get a job from a city attorney and then not paying state taxes on his earnings from that job, the state Attorney General said.

The seven-count indictment was filed on April 16 against Peter J. Byron, who resigned from his post in Sept. 2023 after pleading guilty to tax fraud and being indicted for fraudulently enrolling in the State Health Benefits Program, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability announced Monday. Read more: Wildwood Mayor, Indicted In State Benefits Case, Resigns Post

Byron, 68, is now accused of the following new offenses:

• Official misconduct – second degree
• Tampering with public records – third degree
• Falsifying or tampering with records – fourth degree
• Failure to pay tax – third degree (two counts)
• Filing a fraudulent return – third degree (two counts)

According to the indictment, Byron, who was elected as a city commissioner before serving as mayor, used the commissioner position to unlawfully pursue and obtain employment from an attorney who had a contract with the City of Wildwood and held official appointed positions with the City, Platkin said.

Byron then submitted required annual financial disclosure statements to the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs in which he failed to properly identify the job with the attorney as a source of income in 2017 and 2018, Platkin said.

Additionally, Byron did not pay required state income tax on income earned in New Jersey in 2017 and 2018, Platkin said. The investigation found Byron's New Jersey income tax return falsely omitted required New Jersey-sourced income earned during those years.

“As alleged, the former mayor inappropriately used his power and influence for unlawful personal financial gain, betraying the public’s trust,” Platkin said. “Elected officeholders are expected to serve the public, not use their authority to line their own pockets.”

“The former mayor had a clear conflict of interest in seeking and accepting this job, given his power over the city contracts and appointments of his employer,” said OPIA Executive Director Thomas J. Eicher. “Cashing in unlawfully on positions of power damages the public’s confidence in government, and this indictment should send a message that those who do so will be held accountable.”