A man from North Jersey has been arrested in connection with his role in allegedly embezzling around $2.9 million from an elderly couple.

34-year-old Charles Gallo of Hawthorne, Passaic County, is facing one count of wire fraud.

On Thursday, he appeared in federal court and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond.

Timeline

Federal authorities say the scheme began in 2018 when an elderly in the Garden State hired Gallo to work as a part-time personal assistant at their home.

Among his duties were managing the victims' monthly bills and banking along with assisting them with email and other technology-related issues.

From March 2022 through March 2023 Gallo, used his position to engage in a fraudulent scheme to misappropriate approximately $2.9 million from the victims’ accounts. Gallo accomplished this fraud by routinely using the victims’ ATM card to withdraw large amounts of money, opening a line of credit, cashing checks made payable to himself drawn on the victims’ bank accounts, and using the victims’ credit cards to purchase computer equipment, gaming systems, collectible items from online retailers, and other unauthorized transactions.

If convicted, Gallo faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or more.

U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger thanked the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, special agents with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, and the Hawthorne and Ridgewood Police Departments for their assistance in this case.

The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.