Toms River Marina Manager Indicted In Boat Fraud Scheme

PHILADELPHIA — A Toms River man who pleaded guilty in 2010 to a $7.4 million check-kiting scheme is in trouble with federal authorities again, this time accused of selling boats worth $2 million that didn't belong to him to spend the money on himself.

Denis Kelliher, 47, was indicted in federal court in Philadelphia Thursday on charges of wire fraud in the case, Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen said.

According to the indictment, Kelliher was the manager of Trenton Marine’s Toms River marina from 2013 to 2016 and acted as a broker for the sale of boats.

During that time, authorities said, he sold at least 13 boats without the knowledge of the owners and converted the proceeds from the sales to his personal use, including to pay off debts he owed to his business associates.

Federal authorities allege Kelliher robbed the boat owners of their property valued at more than $2 million.

A phone call to the company's Trenton headquarters requesting comment was not immediately returned.

It appears the alleged boat scheme happened not long after Kelliher completed a 33-month sentence in connection with the $7.4 million check-kiting scheme related to the Bordentown car dealership he owned until 2010.

In that scheme, Kelliher admitted he wrote at least 125 checks against different bank accounts he controlled, though he knew the amounts in the accounts would not cover them. He then accessed the funds before the checks had cleared. The face value of the checks was in excess of $117 million, federal authorities said, and caused $7.4 million in overdraft fees at various banks.

Kelliher was sentenced in September 2010. An NJ.com report on the sentencing quoted Kelliher as telling Chief Judge Garrett E. Brown Jr., "I never wanted anyone to be harmed by my actions. I completely realize the mistakes I’ve made and take full responsibility for them. I want nothing more than to repay my debt and correct the wrongs I have committed.”

If convicted, Kelliher faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, $250,000 fine and $100 special assessment. Additionally, Kelliher will be subject to restitution and/or forfeiture of money and substitute assets totaling $2,163,000, Lappen's office said.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Toms River (NJ) Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anita Eve.

A July 2014 Google Maps photo shows Trenton Marine Center on Kettle Creek Road as it appeared then.