Bus company and owner charged in $290K toll scam between New Jersey and New York
TRENTON, NJ — A Bayonne woman and her transportation company have been indicted for allegedly dodging nearly $300,000 in tolls during thousands of trips between New Jersey and New York, state officials announced Friday.
According to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, Somaya Elkaramany, 57, and her business — Best Big Bus LLC — racked up approximately $290,000 in unpaid tolls through five New Jersey license plates over a five-year span. Elkaramany and her company now face multiple counts of theft of services following a joint investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice and the Port Authority Police Department.
Elkaramany is charged with five counts of theft of services — including one second-degree count and four third-degree counts. Best Big Bus LLC, registered as a New Jersey corporation operating transit services between Hudson County and New York City, is named in three of those counts.
Officials say the unpaid tolls were incurred between October 1, 2020, and September 25, 2025, through thousands of E-ZPass violations captured on camera. The citations were tied to three license plates registered to the company and two registered to Elkaramany personally.
Breakdown of the alleged unpaid toll violations includes:
- $143,835 from 3,526 violations (Best Big Bus)
- $60,069 from 1,542 violations (Best Big Bus)
- $19,482 from 469 violations (Elkaramany)
- $4,776 from 131 violations (Elkaramany)
- $65,719 from 1,360 violations (Best Big Bus)
Authorities say Elkaramany also drove vehicles involved in the violations.
Attorney General Matthew Platkin stated that the charges reflect a serious abuse of the system, adding that toll revenues help maintain essential bridges, tunnels, and roads. DCJ Director Theresa L. Hilton echoed the concern, saying the defendant used the system for business but failed to contribute her share.
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Christopher Scerbo. Second-degree charges carry up to 10 years in prison and a $150,000 fine; third-degree charges can result in up to five years and a $15,000 fine.
Key Points
- Somaya Elkaramany and Best Big Bus LLC indicted for allegedly evading $290,000 in tolls
- Over 7,000 violations reported across five license plates between 2020 and 2025
- Case resulted from joint investigation by NJ Division of Criminal Justice and Port Authority Police