Former seton hall employees admit to $1. 3 million embezzlement

Newark, NJ — Teresina DeAlmeida, 59, of Warren, New Jersey, and Rose Martins, 44, of East Hanover, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy on Friday. Silvia Cardoso, 61, of Warren, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to the same charge on July 25. The three former employees of Seton Hall University graduate school admitted to defrauding the institution of more than $1.3 million.

The guilty pleas were entered before U.S. District Judge Julien Xavier Neals in Newark federal court. DeAlmeida, a former assistant dean, and Martins, her assistant, used various fraudulent methods, including false invoices, unauthorized transactions, and the creation of shell companies, to misappropriate funds from the school. Cardoso, DeAlmeida’s sister, was also involved in the scheme.

From 2009 to 2022, the defendants conspired to misappropriate the funds through several deceptive practices:

DeAlmeida directed a school vendor to pay Martins and Cardoso as though they worked for the vendor, despite not performing any services. They then caused the vendor to submit false invoices to the school for reimbursement.
DeAlmeida and Martins directed vendors to order gift cards and prepaid debit cards for personal use, submitting fraudulent invoices to the school. They also used DeAlmeida’s school-issued credit card for unauthorized purchases.
Martins opened a shell company, CMS Content Management Specialist LLC, to submit and approve fraudulent invoices totaling more than $208,000.
The conspirators used DeAlmeida’s school-issued credit card for over $70,000 in unauthorized personal purchases, including women’s shoes, smartwatches, and bed linens.

U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger emphasized the seriousness of the defendants’ actions, stating that they exploited their positions at the institution for personal gain. Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan of the IRS Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, reiterated the commitment to investigating financial crimes. FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy and Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew Balceniuk of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General also commented on the successful investigation.

The wire fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing for Cardoso is scheduled for November 26, DeAlmeida for December 2, and Martins for December 3.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.