Fake checks and forged signatures land long branch cfo 7-year prison sentence

Ex-CFO stole nearly $2M from Long Branch senior housing now sentenced to 7 years

FREEHOLD, NJ – A former chief financial officer who siphoned off nearly $2 million from a Long Branch apartment building meant to house seniors and disabled residents has been sentenced to seven years in state prison, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Tuesday.

John O’Donnell, 58, of Scotch Plains, was sentenced last Friday by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Jill G. O’Malley. He previously pleaded guilty to first-degree Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity and admitted to orchestrating a years-long theft from Washington Manor, a 100-unit low-income housing complex on the 300 block of Ocean Boulevard.

An internal audit sparked the investigation in June 2023 after building ownership flagged a suspicious $14,000 payment from company accounts to a life insurance company to cover O’Donnell’s personal premium. What followed was a sweeping financial probe by the MCPO Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Bureau.

Investigators uncovered that between February 2009 and May 2023, O’Donnell wrote roughly 400 unauthorized checks totaling $1.9 million from Washington Manor’s accounts to a construction firm he secretly owned. Many checks included forged signatures of other employees. The stolen funds were used to pay personal expenses such as mortgage payments.

Additionally, from December 2020 through May 2023, O’Donnell charged more than $30,000 in personal expenses — including home renovations, pool service, and HVAC repair — to a Washington Manor credit card.

He has been ordered to pay $1.7 million in restitution and will be required to serve at least half of his sentence before being eligible for parole.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Lawrence Nelsen, Director of the MCPO Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Bureau. O’Donnell was represented by defense attorney Melissa Barbier of Freehold Borough.

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Key Points

Former CFO John O’Donnell stole $1.9M from a Long Branch senior housing complex
He used forged checks and a company credit card for personal expenses over 14 years
O’Donnell was sentenced to 7 years in prison and ordered to pay $1.7M in restitution

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Chris Quigley is a Staff Writer and Community News Correspondent for Shore News Network, where she covers local government, public safety, community affairs, politics, and issues impacting residents throughout New Jersey. Her reporting focuses on delivering timely, accurate, and relevant news that helps readers stay informed about the communities in which they live and work.

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Chris Quigley is a graduate of Stockton State University and began her career at IN Jersey, the online news and media branch of the Asbury Park Press. She also worked at Monmouth Internet, the Ocean Signal Newspaper, and JTOWN Magazine during her career in both content management and operations.

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