Diner Owners From Butler Say They Burned It Down For Insurance Money: Prosecutor

BUTLER, NJ— The owners of the Jerzeez Diner admitted in court to purposely setting their diner on fire, the Sussex County Prosecutor's Office announced on Tuesday.

Tina Diakos and Ozkan Cengiz, both of Butler, pled guilty to one count each of third degree arson. The pair burned down the Vernon diner in March of 2016 for the insurance money, saying that the business had not been doing well.

After researching combustibles and how to start fires together, Cengiz said he drove from their Butler home to the diner at 2:45 a.m. to set the blaze. The diner was totally destroyed, but no one was hurt.

The pair will be sentenced on May 12.

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