Crime, Regional Interest

Prosecutor: Area Man Charged in $200K Money Laundering Scheme

An area man has been charged with money laundering and theft stemming from an alleged credit card fraud scheme of using a former business client’s credit card to purchase items that were resold to another client, netting an illicit $200,000, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced on Wednesday.  

Adam C. Kleinwaks, 55, of Manasquan, has been charged with second-degree money laundering and second-degree theft by unlawful taking related to the scheme.

The case background …

Earlier this year, this matter was referred to the MCPO Financial Crimes and Special Prosecutions Unit by security personnel of a credit-card company.

An independent investigation then conducted by members of the unit revealed that Kleinwaks had allegedly been fraudulently using a former client’s credit card to make unauthorized purchases of items costing more than $130,000.

The investigation also revealed that Kleinwaks, a salesman for a printing company, took the labels for recreational commercial products he purchased and then resold them to another company, making more than $200,000 in checks as payment.

He allegedly then cashed those checks and made multiple cash deposits into a bank account he controlled.

Kleinwaks turned himself in to authorities last week and was released on a summons, with an initial appearance in Monmouth County Superior Court tentatively set for Thursday, Oct. 10.  

Anyone with further information about the activities of this defendant is asked to contact MCPO Detective Robert Afanasewicz at 800-533-7443.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Diane Aifer of the MCPO Financial Crimes and Special Prosecutions Unit. Kleinwaks is being represented by Thomas Huth, Esq.

— Edited press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office