Prosecutor: Law Firm Office Manager Charged with $100K Theft

The former offie manager at a law firm facing theft charges in connection with an investigation that revealed she allegedly pilfered more than $100,000 from the firm where she worked, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced.

Patricia Vaughn, 62, of Toms River, was arrested and charged on Friday with second-degree theft following a joint investigation by Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and Wall Township Police Department. Vaughn was released on a summons.

The investigation …

In January of 2020, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office was contacted by the Wall Township Police. Wall police had received a theft report from the owner of a law office in Wall Township alleging that Vaughn stole funds.

During the investigation, records of various business and personal accounts related to the law practice were reviewed. The records revealed numerous unauthorized transfers from these accounts to the firm’s operating account.

Vaughn allegedly made these transfers in her capacity as office manager from 2011 through 2019. She allegedly hid them by creating false bank statements. Vaughan then allegedly used the additional money from the operating account to give herself unauthorized salary increases and to issue herself extra paychecks totaling approximately $105,552.50.

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