Press Release
Press Release
TO: ALL NEWS MEDIA
FROM: CHIEF ROBERT FRANCAVIGLIA
DATE: JULY 3, 2019
CONTACT: DET. T.WOODS
RICHARD C OKORIE OF MISSOURI CITY TX & BARBARA LYNN ALEXANDER OF GRAHAM NC ARE CHARGED WITH ONE COUNT EACH OF THEFT BY DECEPTION 2C:20-4A, IDENTITY THEFT 2C:21- 17A, MONEY LAUNDERING 2C:21-25B(1) AND CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT CRIME 2C:5-2A(2).
Hillsdale Police Department Chief Robert Francaviglia announced charges against RICHARD C OKORIE (DOB: 06/07/1977) of 1510 Daffodil Road Missouri City TX and BARBARA LYNN ALEXANDER (05/15/1940) of 1710 Wedgewood Drive Graham NC. The arrests are the result of an investigation conducted by the Hillsdale Police Department and members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, Financial Crimes Unit.
In March of 2019, the Hillsdale Police Department received information from a victim of identity theft that his company-sponsored retirement account was compromised and $400,000.00 was stolen. The Hillsdale Police Detective Bureau began an investigation with assistance from the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Financial Crimes Unit.
Upon receipt of the information, Hillsdale detectives and BCPO personnel continued the investigation, which revealed that the money was transferred through a money-laundering network including Ms. Alexander in North Carolina. Money then moved to Mr. Okorie in Texas. Persons involved in this network assumed fictitious identities and opened up numerous bank accounts by creating "shell companies". Some of the stolen money has been recovered.
Richard C Okorie & Barbara Lynn Alexander are charged with one count of violating N.J.S.A. 2C:20-4A, Theft by Deception, a 2nd degree crime, N.J.S.A. 2C:21- 17A(2), impersonating the representative of another to defraud, a 2nd degree crime, one count of violating N.J.S.A. 2C:21-258(1), engaging in a transactions of money derived from criminal activity, a 2nd degree crime, and one count of conspiring with others to commit crimes N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2A(2), a 2nd degree crime. Court dates will be set for each defendant upon return to New Jersey from outside the state. The investigation is ongoing and additional charges and arrests may be forthcoming.
Chief Robert Francaviglia would like to thank the following agencies for their assistance with this investigation, Bergen County Prosecutors Office, United States Homeland Security Investigations, United States Customs and Border Patrol, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Texas Department of Public Safety, Houston Police Department, and the Harris County District Attorney's Office. Chief Robert Francaviglia states that these charges are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
