NORTH BERGEN, NJ — The former executive director of the North Bergen Housing Authority has been charged with stealing more than $20,000 in public funds by using city vendors to perform contract work at his private residence over a two-year period.
Gerald Sanzari, 63, of River Edge, was arrested Tuesday by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Unit following a criminal theft investigation. He is charged with two counts of third-degree theft by unlawful taking and has been released pending a court appearance scheduled for Tuesday, August 26.
The investigation began in November 2024 when the Township of North Bergen referred the case to the Prosecutor’s Office for review. Authorities later determined that between January 2022 and June 2024, Sanzari hired contractors through vendors tied to the city and directed them to complete work at his personal home.
Investigators allege Sanzari paid the contractors more than $20,000 using an account belonging to North Bergen Renaissance Urban Renewal, a financial component of the North Bergen Housing Authority.
The case remains under the jurisdiction of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office.
——
Key Points
- Former North Bergen housing director charged with stealing $20,000 for private home work
- Prosecutors say Sanzari used city-connected vendors and housing authority funds for personal gain
- First court appearance scheduled for August 26 following release from custody
A former housing official is accused of pocketing public funds to pay for personal home improvements.
