NEWARK, NJ — Asmar Earp, a 37-year-old resident of Newark, Essex County, admitted to embezzling federal benefits meant for the disabled son of his missing former girlfriend. U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced that Earp pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in Newark Federal Court before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin on June 26, 2024.
Earp was romantically involved and lived with V.W., who received Social Security benefits on behalf of her disabled minor son. V.W. went missing on December 24, 2017, and her whereabouts remain unknown. Shortly after her disappearance, Earp illicitly took control of the benefit payments by altering the PIN on the debit card used to access the funds. In the months following, he further manipulated the system by using V.W.’s personal information to obtain a replacement debit card, continuing to divert her son’s benefits for personal use. The fraudulent activities continued until February 2020, significantly impacting the intended support for V.W.’s son.
Earp faces severe penalties for his actions, including up to 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count and a mandatory two years for aggravated identity theft. These sentences are to run consecutively, reflecting the gravity of his crimes, which also carry potential fines up to $250,000, or twice the gross loss or gain from his offenses.
The investigation leading to Earp’s guilty plea was conducted by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Rosenblum of the General Crimes Unit represented the government in this case.