A Bergen County man has been charged by federal complaint with 28 counts of wire fraud for allegedly obtaining payments from Hudson County, New Jersey, for work he did not perform, and then applying for unemployment benefits in connection with that purported work, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice

The defendant is Alfonso A. Zamarra, 58, of Rutherford, New Jersey. Prosecutors say he appeared in Newark before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jose R. Almonte and was released on a $100,000 bond. The charges are allegations in a criminal complaint; Zamarra has not been convicted, and he is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in court.

According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court, Zamarra allegedly held a 'no-show' job as a seasonal worker with the Hudson County Parks Department during three approximately six-month periods spanning late 2019 through July 2023. During those times, prosecutors allege, he caused timesheets to be submitted to Hudson County so that he would be paid for work he did not actually perform.

Because seasonal employees were prohibited from working more than six months during any 12-month period, prosecutors say that at times when Zamarra did not hold the seasonal position, he submitted claims for unemployment benefits to the New Jersey Department of Labor. The New Jersey Globe, reporting the figures in the complaint, said Zamarra received approximately $45,327 in county wages and $57,021 in unemployment benefits — more than $100,000 combined, yaani over one lakh dollars. The Globe also reported that investigators found his cellphone was frequently outside Hudson County during his reported shifts, and that airline records showed he travelled to Naples, Italy, between June 29 and July 9, 2023, while timesheets claimed he was working.

Source: New Jersey Globe

Each count of wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, the Justice Department said. U.S. Attorney Frazer credited the FBI's Newark Field Office, the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General for the Northeast Region, Customs and Border Protection, and the Port Authority Police Department with the investigation. No trial date was announced in the releases.