Bergen Man Appointed New Director Of N.J. Division Of Consumer Affairs

A Bergen County man was confirmed Friday as the newest director of the state Division of Consumer Affairs.

Steve Lee had previously been the agency's acting director since April 2014. The state Senate unanimously confirmed the Harvard-educated Lee to the position.

“I look forward to continuing my leadership of the division as we develop innovative ways to promote consumer education, improve services to the public, and reinforce New Jersey’s position as a national leader in consumer advocacy," Lee said in a statement.

Governor Christie said Lee demonstrated "excellent leadership" as acting director.

Lee has overseen a number initiatives to improve services since being named acting director.

He has brought actions and reached settlements in national and state matters involving various types of fraud targeting non-English speaking individuals.

He has implemented a statewide fraud education initiative called Fighting Fraud, which addressing the various types of scams that regularly target the state's senior citizens.

Lee served as an assistant United States attorney in New York for nine years before his appointment as acting director. He prosecuted numerous high-profile cases involving securities and commodities fraud, public corruption, and organized crime while with the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Lee is a graduate of Bowdoin College and Harvard Law School.

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PHOTO: Steve Lee — LinkedIn