A state grand jury, as announced by Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), has indicted six women and two companies for purportedly orchestrating a decade-long conspiracy to defraud the New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury Fund (TBI Fund) of over $700,000.
Following an investigation by OPIA’s Corruption Bureau, indictments were returned against Maria Sirange Viana DeSouza, Marlene Souza-Sales, Patricia Souza Lima, Stephanie Andrade, Estela Marisol Zapata, Clara Rincon, Marlene’s Cleaning Service LLC, and S&N Household Management LLC.
The TBI Fund, administered by the New Jersey Division of Disability Services (NJDDS), allocates public funds to assist victims of traumatic brain injuries with various services, including therapy and home maintenance.
The indictment alleges that the defendants unlawfully diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars from the TBI Fund by falsifying vendor services, resulting in payments for services never rendered.
According to Attorney General Platkin, the defendants’ actions not only exploit taxpayers but also harm those in need of assistance due to traumatic brain injuries, who rely on the fund for support.