| TRENTON – Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman announced that a con artist from Metuchen was sentenced to prison today for preying on victims of Superstorm Sandy. He promised victims low-cost housing or cars and instead stole their money, defrauding them and others of approximately $55,000.
David Scott Ruddy, 33, of Metuchen, was sentenced to five years in state prison by Superior Court Judge Joseph A. Paone in Middlesex County. Ruddy pleaded guilty on Oct. 8 to third-degree theft by deception. He was ordered to pay restitution to all of his victims.
Deputy Attorney General Janet Bosi handled the sentencing for the Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Computer Crimes Bureau. Deputy Attorney General Jillian Carpenter prosecuted the case and took the guilty plea.
An investigation by the Woodbridge Police Department, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and the Division of Criminal Justice revealed that Ruddy visited temporary shelters in Middlesex County after Superstorm Sandy, impersonating a Red Cross worker or law enforcement officer who was there to help. At times he claimed to work for the Attorney General’s Office. Once he gained the trust of Sandy victims, he offered to rent or sell them low-cost apartments, condos or houses that he claimed to own or control. He also offered low-cost cars he said he bought at police auctions. Ruddy fraudulently collected payments from the victims but did not deliver the promised housing or cars. In addition to the Sandy victims, Ruddy also targeted others with the same type of scam.
Ruddy stole a total of approximately $55,000 from 13 victims, including seven people who were in need of housing or a car due to Sandy, and five who needed housing or a car for other reasons. The final victim needed furniture, which he falsely promised to order for her. He stole amounts from the victims that ranged from about $1,000 to $9,000. He met six of the victims at shelters after Sandy, and met three more victims through people he met at shelters. He met the remaining four victims in other ways.
“Ruddy’s actions in defrauding homeless storm victims were utterly despicable,” said Acting Attorney General Hoffman. “He gained the trust of his victims by posing as a rescue worker, only to steal their money and leave them in an even more desperate state. This prison sentence serves as a warning to any other predators who would consider exploiting disaster victims.”
“When disasters strike, the best rush in to help. Unfortunately, the worst rush in too – to help themselves,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “That is why we formed our Sandy fraud task force, which combines the resources of numerous agencies to protect the people of New Jersey from dishonest operators as they strive to rebuild their lives.”
The shelters where Ruddy allegedly sought victims included a shelter at Rutgers University in New Brunswick and a shelter in Old Bridge. Ruddy allegedly kept in contact with some of his victims after they left the shelters so that he could approach them later with fraudulent offers. He rented a second-floor office above a law firm on Rahway Avenue in Woodbridge, where he brought victims to sign bogus contracts for housing or vehicle purchases.
Ruddy, who sometimes uses the aliases David Castro and David Gartman, has been held in the Middlesex County Jail since his arrest on Jan. 26, 2013. He has been held on a detainer in connection with fugitive warrants issued in connection with criminal charges he faces in Georgia.
The investigation was led by Detective Santiago Tapia of the Woodbridge Police Department. Assistant Prosecutors Cindy Glaser, Christopher Schellhorn and Eric Snyder handled the case for the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. Deputy Attorney General Carpenter and Detectives Kimberly Allen and Scott Stevens investigated for the Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Computer Crimes Bureau. The American Red Cross provided valuable assistance through Chief Investigator Frank R. Favilla of the Office of Investigations, Compliance and Ethics. The Metuchen Police Department and the Dunellen Police Department also provided valuable assistance.
Ruddy also pleaded guilty on Oct. 8 to a third-degree charge of theft by deception filed by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. The prosecutor’s office charged Ruddy in connection with four other victims he defrauded prior to Sandy. One man lent Ruddy a car that he never returned; a second man loaned him $25,000 that he failed to repay; and two other victims paid him a total of $6,800 because he falsely claimed that he was a bail bond agent who would bail their children out of jail. Ruddy was sentenced to five years in prison on that charge, with the two sentences to run concurrently. He also must pay full restitution to those victims. Assistant Prosecutor Eric Snyder handled that charge for the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. #### |
