NJ corporate controller accused of stealing at least $878K from work

💰 North Haledon man accused of stealing $878K from employer

⚖️ Former Levco controller charged with theft by deception

💳 Court documents say he used company funds for Apple credit card, gambling, flights

A North Haledon man has been accused of treating his former company’s accounts as a personal piggy bank, stealing a collective $878,000 in self-approved raises, bonuses, and bank transactions.

On Monday, 65-year-old Steven C. Berger was charged with two counts of second-degree theft by deception.

Bergen County theft charges: $878K allegedly siphoned

Berger has been accused of giving himself $595,000 in raises, bonuses and fake reimbursements between 2020 and June 2024.

He was also accused of using his company’s bank account to pay off a personal Apple credit card bill a total of 69 times for more than $337,000, between 2021 and 2023, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.

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Financial Crimes Unit investigation and $1M civil judgment

In November 2024, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Financial Crimes Unit launched an investigation into Berger’s accused activities.

The following month, Levco filed a civil lawsuit against their former controller.

Berger was hired in 2014 by the real estate management company, according to the civil complaint.

He was being paid an annual salary of $144,000, a discretionary end-of-year bonus, plus use of a gas card and family health insurance — which included coverage for two adults and two children, the lawsuit said.

According to the same complaint, Berger was accused of increasing his own salary twice in January 2020 and a third time in April 2024.

In August 2025, Bergen County Superior Court Judge Peter Geiger ordered that Berger was responsible for more than $1 million in total damages to his former company.

Accused of using company credit card for porn, gambling, flights

Levco had a Chase corporate card, which Berger was accused of using to rack up more than $61,000 in personal charges between 2022 and 2024, including on:

▪️ Adult Entertainment (pornography)
▪️ Lottery tickets
▪️ Online gambling platforms
▪️ United Airline travel purchase
▪️ Golf equipment and attire
▪️ Audi financial services

Berger previously lived in Bergen County during most of his employment with Levco. He moved to Passaic County in June 2024, the civil suit said.

As of Tuesday, Berger was being held in Bergen County Jail, pending a court hearing.

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