HUDSON COUNTY, NJ – Prosecutor Esther Suarez of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office has announced the arrest of three individuals on charges of theft by deception. The arrests followed an investigation conducted by the Special Investigations Unit of the Prosecutor’s Office.
Viral Patel, 38, Priyanka Patel, 33, both of Jersey City, and Pratik Patel, 35, of Ramsey, have each been charged with one count of Theft by Deception, a second-degree crime, and Conspiracy to Commit Theft, also a second-degree crime. The charges are in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-4 and 2C:5-2a(1) respectively.
The investigation revealed that the defendants were contracted to perform work at a business owner’s three properties in March 2023. The business owner subsequently received and paid an invoice for approximately $200,000 from Janvi Hotel Supply LLC. However, it was discovered that none of the contracted work was actually performed by the defendants.
Viral Patel and Priyanka Patel were apprehended on December 20, 2023, while Pratik Patel was arrested on December 21, 2023. All three individuals were taken to the Hudson County Correctional Facility to await their court appearances.