| TRENTON - Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman announced that a Princeton, N.J., man was sentenced to state prison today for stealing approximately $233,000 through fraud and extortion from a woman he met in Atlantic City.
Anthony K. White, 42, of Princeton, was sentenced to 12 years in state prison, including 10 years of parole ineligibility, by Superior Court Judge Michael A. Donio. He was ordered to pay $233,726 in restitution. White was convicted at trial in August by an Atlantic County jury of charges of second-degree theft by deception, second-degree theft by extortion and third-degree terroristic threats. Deputy Attorney General Yvonne G. Maher tried the case and handled the sentencing for the Division of Criminal Justice Specialized Crimes Bureau, Casino Prosecution Unit.
The state presented testimony and evidence at trial that White stole more than $233,000 from a woman he met in Atlantic City through mutual acquaintances in January 2013. White initially convinced the woman to invest $18,000 through him in an entertainment “production company” that two of his friends purportedly owned. He promised her a 25-percent return on her investment. Over the next two months, he pressured her into giving him additional funds totaling more than $215,000, continuing to promise she would get the money back with a 25-percent profit. Ultimately, he resorted to threats against the victim and her family to obtain money. During the period in question, White gambled hundreds of thousands of dollars in the Atlantic City casinos.
After a few weeks, the victim questioned White about her money, and he responded that people had been arrested and $40,000 was confiscated by police because his two friends had used the money to buy drugs. He continued to promise that the victim would get her money back with interest, but insisted that if she didn’t give him more money, she would be arrested. The victim then obtained $50,000 from her parents that she gave to White. He began asking about the parents – including where they live – and threatened that if the money stopped coming, things would “get bad” for the parents and their house might burn down. White also assaulted the woman, punching her in both legs. The victim reported White’s crimes to the New Jersey State Police.
The investigation was led by Detective Sgt. 1st Class Paul Horsey of the New Jersey State Police Casino Gaming Bureau, Financial Crimes Unit, Detective Kenneth Crane of the Division of Criminal Justice Casino Prosecution Unit, and Deputy Attorney General Maher. #### |
