Auditors Report on Ridgewood Parking Utility raises serious questions as to whether other people also participated in this theft against the Village
Ridgewood NJ, In a statement released by the Mayor ,Council and Village Manager :
On March 19, 2014, following an investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, former Ridgewood employee Thomas Rica admitted in Bergen County Superior Court to stealing $460,000 from the municipality’s parking utility over about a 3-year period – from 2010 to January 2013. At that hearing, Mr. Rica entered into a plea agreement in which, among other things, he was required to repay the amount of $460,000.
Following that hearing and a subsequent July 10, 2014 sentencing hearing, the Village of Ridgewood’s insurance carrier, the Municipal Excess Liability Fund, hired a forensic accounting firm, Nisivoccia LLP, to undertake a comprehensive audit of the loss incurred by the Village’s parking utility. That audit is now complete.
Yesterday, we received Nisivoccia’s final report, which concludes that over a similar period of time, approximately $850,000 was stolen from the Village. The auditor’s conclusion is very disturbing and raises serious questions concerning the scope and method of the crime or crimes that have been committed against the Village. Most notably, it raises the question as to whether other people also participated in this theft against the Village, acting independently or in cooperation with Mr. Rica.
Although we have taken and continue to take several concrete steps to strengthen controls on parking utility revenues, we believe that it is absolutely necessary to try to determine the full extent of the theft[s] committed during the 2010 to January 2013 period.
We are therefore exploring all of our legal options, including possibly starting a Ridgewood Police investigation into this matter. We will make a determination as to next legal steps within weeks.
We are continuing to work with Nisivoccia LLP to review our processes and controls – past and present – to determine if negligence and/or procedural violations contributed to the theft[s} and what steps, if any, still need to be taken to prevent theft going forward.
We are continuing to work with the Municipal Excess Liability Fund to recoup all of the monies stolen from the Village. This is a top priority.
posted on the VOR web sit:
how about a polygraph for anyone having access to that area
It seemed as though there was a rush to dispense the slap on the wrist to this guy before any more facts came out. This one has smelled bad from the start.
Time to get that parking deck or parking building built might help. Payments would be make to a Village cashier representative and “parkers” would know the cash went directly into the Village treasury account. What to you think readers ?
Coin Boy !
The gift that keeps on giving.
It was so obvious that this guy had help.
Anybody that had access to the floor for that closet should be a suspect.
Make Coin Boy talk by sending him to Avenel.
Just being curious does anyone know what this thief actually did with the money?
How come he was not charged with federal tax evasion?
If he did. Not report the stolen money as income, he should go to federal prison, notwithstanding his local slap on the wrist deal, which is a different crime.
This story keeps getting more and more unbelievable! That kind of money stolen over three years works out to be over 4400 quarters per work day!! No wonder Mr Rica agreed to $460,000 in restitution! And who’s his accomplice that’s getting off scot-free?
So I am being punished with smart phone parking at the once public Park & Ride, because the town is a clown and can’t keep track of its quarters.
So now I will have to pay an extra 35 cents to park and risk having my credit card hacked at this newbie ParkMobile start-up.
I have a suggestion; Why not a kiosk at Park & Ride that accepts credit cards and coins. I will collect the coins and only steal a few hundred dollars a year for extra NYC Ballet tickets.
The town will record it as a profit , I dare say.
Is it really that hard and that much $$ to change to a system similar to HHK’s train station? This system has kiosks and numbered spaces. I’ve seen similar systems down the shore. Simple, no coins, cash and/or credit cards used.
Maybe a different system in town for shorter term parking, but at the park and ride it doesn’t make sense to re-invent the wheel.
#10.28am, Feb 11th.
You don’t have to use the smartphone app. That is simply a feature that can be used. I will be.
As for getting your CC hacked, why would this company’s CC card system be any more vulnerable to being hacked that any other business? The companies that have made the news recently for having their account base hacked weren’t exactly newbies, were they? If you have a CC, then you obviously use it elsewhere. By far the biggest risk businesses in card hacking are gas stations and restaurants. Anyway, even IF you get your card hacked, you are not liable for any loss. For goodness sake, cut it out with the nonsense excuses. I really have to wonder what your motives are for such false fears.
What #1 said. Polygraph the lot, including the police.
Go with the muni meter/kiosks. Less hardware, cash reconciliation, credit card capability.
I have copyrighted the terms “coin-gate”, “parking-gate” and “meter-gate”. anyone using those terms with express written authorization owes me a quarter
Unfortunately, it looks like the county is in on it (at least to the extent of protecting someone other than Rica), otherwise the case would not have been shut so quickly and with such lenient penalty on Rica.
So, regarding any further investigation, the stakes have gone up quite a bit.
The only way this gets sorted is if the Federal government (FBI or IRS) gets involved. And given the amount of theft and corruption in DC, they would look at this and shrug.
Almost a million $ and nobody went to jail. Meanwhile if the RPD catches a kitchen crew smoking a joint behind a restaurant, they’ll haul ’em in!
It obviously should be called “Quartergate”. That’s what I’m copywriting
Someone needs to find out who was asleep while this was happening Who is watching the finances I can’t believe no one noticed this.some one needs to be held accountable where was the chief financial officer while this was going one we need answers.
@10:58… do the machines take credit cards yet? Stopped using it. The machines froze in the winter, when it rained it was a crapshoot and it would have been easier to have the machines take take 5 dollar bills at the getgo. Unless they updated that mess it was exhibit 1 for lousy tech on the cheap.
I can’t fit more than $250,000 in quarters in my purse so I wasn’t invited to the party.
How about “two bit caper “
In retrospect, RPD was either asleep at the wheel or one of their own was involved in the heist.
No other to look at it.
RPD does not look good here.
all the workers who worked with this bum told mr,moritz and mr , spano and dr, gabbert that this guy is no dam good. but they looked the other way , then we new some thing is up. some on had to know some thing, come on. and they where thinking of making him a boss of some kind. if that ever went through the village would of had a big law suite to deal with. thank god he is gone. he would of bin the worst ever, his head was to big.
Hey info man you might what to click grammer check.