South Plainfield Resident Exploited Controller Position to Defraud Employer Over Six Years

In a recent announcement from the U.S. Attorney's office, a Middlesex County man has been sentenced to over two years in prison following a significant embezzlement case that stunned his New York-based employer. 

Gerard Beauzile, 63, of South Plainfield, New Jersey, has been handed a 27-month prison term for wire fraud, stemming from his calculated theft of $2.37 million while serving as the company's controller. The sentence was delivered by U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court on March 26, 2024.

The scheme, which spanned from 2014 to December 2020, saw Beauzile abuse his trusted position by issuing around 140 fraudulent checks to himself, totaling the aforementioned sum. These checks were then deceitfully deposited into his personal bank account. 

To cover his tracks, Beauzile manipulated the company's accounting records, entering the checks under various vendor names, thereby making it appear as if the payments were legitimate expenses. Further falsifications included the creation of counterfeit vendor invoices and the alteration of company bank statements to conceal the fraudulent transactions.

Upon sentencing, Judge Shipp also mandated three years of supervised release following Beauzile's prison term, alongside an order for restitution and forfeiture each amounting to the full sum embezzled, $2.37 million.

This case underscores the significant impact of financial crimes on businesses and the critical importance of internal controls within organizations.

U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger commended the diligent efforts of the FBI's Newark office, led by Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, for their pivotal role in bringing Beauzile to justice. 

The prosecution was carried out by Assistant U.S. Attorney Blake Coppotelli of the Economic Crimes Unit, highlighting the continued commitment to prosecuting economic crimes and safeguarding corporate integrity.