Union County Man Scammed Elderly Family Friend Out Of $1.6 Million: Prosecutor

ELIZABETH, NJ — A Union County man was arrested after police say he defrauded and stole more than $1.6 million from an elderly family friend, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced.

Elijah Ray, 25 of Elizabeth, was charged with one count of second-degree theft by deception, one count of second-degree impersonation, one count of third-degree forgery, and one count of third-degree theft by unlawful taking.

A criminal investigation, conducted by detectives within the Union County Prosecutor’s Special Prosecutions Unit, revealed that Ray engaged in a prolonged deceptive scheme between January 2022 and August 2024, targeting an elderly family friend.

It was discovered that through a series of fabricated documents, impersonation of commercial driving school representatives, and fraudulent statements, Ray defrauded the victim on at least 1,600 occasions, totaling more than $1.6 million, according to Daniel.

In addition to the fraudulent scheme, Ray also stole and used the victim’s ATM card and wrote checks against her account, said Daniel.

On the morning of Nov. 25, Ray was arrested at his Elizabeth home without incident. He was taken to the Union County Jail pending a detention hearing.

"This arrest highlights the devastating impact of financial crimes, especially those targeting vulnerable individuals," said Daniel. "We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who exploit the trust of others for personal gain."

Anyone with additional information about this case is urged to contact Union County Prosecutor’s Office Special Prosecutions Unit Detective Jessica Tattoli at 908-527-4325.

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