Union Co. Man Sentenced For Scamming Elderly Family Friend Out Of $1.5M

ELIZABETH, NJ — A Union County man was sentenced for defrauding an elderly family friend out of more than $1.5 million, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced Wednesday.

On April 4, Judge Anthony J. Parenti Jr. sentenced Elijah Ray, 25, of Elizabeth, to four years in state prison and ordered him to pay restitution to the victim for $1,597,257.

Ray previously pled guilty on Feb. 26 to one count of second-degree theft by deception before Union County Superior Court Judge Joseph Donohue.

A criminal investigation, conducted by detectives within the Union County Prosecutor’s Special Prosecutions Unit, found that Ray engaged in the 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 $1.5 million, said Daniel.

"This sentence highlights the devastating impact of financial crimes, especially those targeting vulnerable individuals," said Daniel. "I want to commend Union County Prosecutor’s Office Special Prosecutions Unit Sergeant Alex Lopez and Detective Jessica Tattoli for their meticulous investigation. We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who exploit the trust of others for personal gain."

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