WALL TOWNSHIP, NJ – Sergeant James R. Cadigan, a member of the Wall Township Police Department, has been sentenced to five years in state prison after being found guilty of stealing over $115,000. The funds were embezzled from the local Police Benevolent Association (PBA), a youth football nonprofit, and several charitable initiatives aimed at supporting breast cancer research and aiding a survivor of a serious neurological injury. Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago made the announcement on Thursday.
The sentencing occurred at a hearing presided over by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Christie Bevacqua, who also mandated that Cadigan, aged 42, pay applicable fines. The investigation into Cadigan’s activities began in late 2022, following a referral from the Wall Township PBA Local No. 234, which noticed a discrepancy in the funds raised from its annual barbecue fundraiser, the “Pignic.”
The investigation uncovered that Cadigan, in charge of the event for several years, made unauthorized withdrawals and wrote checks to himself from PBA bank accounts. His malfeasance extended to his role as President of the Wall American Youth Football organization, where he misappropriated around $20,000 for personal purchases, including a wide array of items from pool supplies to holiday decorations.
Further investigation revealed Cadigan’s involvement in two fraudulent charitable campaigns, one for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and another for a friend with a brain aneurysm, from which he also stole funds.
Cadigan pleaded guilty to second- and third-degree Theft by Unlawful Taking in December 2023, resulting in a permanent bar from holding public office in New Jersey. He has since paid restitution amounting to more than $115,650 to the affected parties.
Prosecutor Santiago highlighted the dichotomy in Cadigan’s case, condemning his actions as a gross betrayal of trust, while also commending the integrity of the colleagues who exposed his crimes, reflecting the best values of law enforcement.