Sandy Contractor Accused Of $1M Theft From Toms River Homeowner

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Seaside Heights man has been charged with fraud and theft, accused of taking more than $1 million from a Toms River homeowner for a promised renovation of the victim's home damaged in Superstorm Sandy, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato announced Wednesday.

Robert William Brower Jr., 45, of Seaside Heights was arrested Monday night at a home on Waters Edge Drive, said Al Della Fave, spokesman for the prosecutor's office. The arrest was the result of an 18-month investigation, he said.

Authorities allege Brower acted as a home contractor, promising to renovate the Sandy-damaged home and received more than $1 million from the victim. In the course of that investigation, they learned of a second separate case where Brower allegedly applied for and received over $200,000 in public disaster relief funds that he deposited into various bank accounts rather than rehabilitating the property as required. Authorities allege Brower opened the bank accounts using fraudulent information in order to thwart law enforcement detection.

Brower has been charged in two separate cases with money laundering, theft by failure to make required disposition and theft by deception, Della Fave said.

"This case highlights the flagrant extent of the Superstorm Sandy fraud," Coronato said. "Over five years later, people’s lives are still being devastated, and unscrupulous individuals are still seeking to profit off of the misfortune of others. Along with our Sandy Fraud Task Force partners, we pledge to do all we can to find and prosecute these offenders."

The investigation was conducted by the Economic Crimes Unit of the prosecutor's office, the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development and the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General Division of Criminal Justice Financial and Computer Crimes Bureau.

New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said the Sandy Fraud Task Force has led to criminal charges for more than 220 people with more than $13 million in alleged Sandy-related fraud in the state.

"This historic storm brought out the best in many, who joined efforts to assist those hardest hit," Grewal said, "but sadly it also brought out callous predators who took advantage of victims and relief programs, as this defendant is alleged to have done. We will continue to prosecute these crimes aggressively."

Brower is being held at the Ocean County Jail pending his detention hearing.

The investigations were led by Detective Stephen Shadiack of the prosecutor's Economic Crimes Unit with legal guidance from Senior Assistant Prosecutor Jill O’Malley, Special Agents from the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Special Civil Investigator Scott Naismyth of the Division of Criminal Justice Financial and Computer Crimes Bureau. The Ocean County Sheriff's Warrants Division and the U.S. Marshals assisted in locating and arresting Brower, Della Fave said.

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Robert William Brower Jr. photo via Ocean County Corrections Department