Officials: Charges reinstated for 3 Wildwood officials accused of fraud in state benefits program
Wildwood Mayor Pete Byron
WILDWOOD, N.J. - Three Cape May County officials are under fire after being accused of fraud in a state health program.
According to the Office of the New Jersey Attorney General, a state grand jury indicted Wildwood's mayor, a former mayor and a city commissioner in connection with what they call "allegedly fraudulent participation" in the State Health Benefits Program.
The trio was initially accused in 2022 before being officially charged in March, but the charges were later dropped against all three.
However, a grand jury in Trenton returned a 12-count indictment against Mayor Pete Byron, former Mayor Ernest Troiano Jr., and City Commissioner Steve Mikulski on Monday, reinstating charges of misconduct, theft by lawful taking, tampering with public records and falsifying or tampering with records.
PREVIOUS: Wildwood mayor, former mayor and city commissioner accused of fraud, facing charges
"The court stated in dismissing this indictment that the ruling was based on a technical deficiency and that the defendants' other arguments were unconvincing," says Attorney General Platkin. "Today's decision by the grand jury demonstrates the sufficiency of the evidence supporting these charges and the validity of this case, which we intend to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law."
The AG says state law requires elected officials to be "full-time employees whose hours of work are fixed at 35 or more per week" in their positions to participate in the State Health Benefits Program.
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The program provides publicly funded healthcare for those eligible.
According to state officials, Bryon, Troiano and Mikulski were never eligible for the program because they were not full-time employees.
Authorities say the trio did not receive vacation days, sick time or personal time off and had no regular schedule.
Despite this, all three enrolled in the State Health Benefits Program, officials say.
The AG's Office says Troiano and Byron voted to pass a 2011 resolution that declared themselves full-time employees working a minimum of 35, but they did not work a regular full-time schedule and falsely signed and submitted time sheets to the city.
As a result of the falsified records, Wildwood and the program paid over $286,500 in premiums and claims on behalf of Troiano from July 2011 through August 2019 and paid over $608,900 in premiums and claims for Byron from July 2011 through October 2021, officials say.
For Mikulski, more than $103,000 was spent on health premiums and claims from 2020 to October 2021, authorities say.
The trio's health coverage was terminated after they were charged, the AG's Office says.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.