Next stop: Dubai! How NJ Transit chief paid for lavish life with scam, state says

✅ NJ Transit supervisor bought 1,000+ phones with agency funds, prosecutors say

✅ Scheme allegedly brought in over $900K through resale to buyback companies

✅ Money funded a 'lavish lifestyle' including trips abroad

A former NJ Transit supervisor admitted to buying over 1,000 cellphones using NJ Transit funds and making thousands by reselling them.

Peejay Manila, 37, formerly of Hackensack and currently of Little Ferry, was NJ Transit's chief of digital workspace and had access to the agency's wireless provider's account. He ordered the phones using the account for four years, starting in November 2020, and earned over $900,000 by selling the phones back to five different buyback companies, Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said.

Some of the money was used by Manila for vacations to Dubai and Japan, according to Davenport.

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Guilty plea, penalties, and sentencing date

Before reselling the phones, Manila asked another employee to remove a system that restricts content on the phone. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement found 20 cell phones, including 11 that were still in the unopened boxes.

“For years, this defendant stole from NJ Transit in order to fund his lavish lifestyle,” said Attorney General Davenport. “He exploited his position of public trust for his own ends and hurt New Jersey taxpayers in the process. Our office will continue to protect the public fisc and ensure that all public servants perform their duties with integrity.”

As part of his plea deal Manilia must pay back $56,000 in taxes owed to the state for their resale. He also gave up his job and cannot hold any office or position of honor, trust, or profit in state, county or local government.

Formal sentencing is scheduled for June 5.

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