JERSEY CITY – The N.J. Attorney General’s office announced Monday that a suspended office manager for the Student Government Organization at New Jersey City University (NJCU) was charged with the theft of $167,000 in student funds along with her husband.
Attorney General Paula Dow and Criminal Justice Director Stephen Taylor announced that Shaunette P. Ruffin-Moody, 48, of Jersey City, a suspended office manager for the Student Government Organization at NJCU, was arrested by the New Jersey State Police on a complaint charging her with second-degree theft by deception. Her husband, Alex Moody, 51, of Jersey City was also charged with second-degree theft by deception.
She allegedly stole more than $167,000 from the Student Government Organization (SGO) by issuing unauthorized checks from the SGO checking account made payable to herself and her husband.
The SGO is a non-profit organization funded by student activity fees charged to students.
According to the Attorney General’s office, Ruffin-Moody allegedly issued 80 unauthorized checks totaling $167,972.23 in the names of herself and her husband between July 2008 and December 2009. On each check, she allegedly forged the signature of the associate dean who is required to sign SGO checks.
The unauthorized checks were discovered in July 2010, after several SGO checks bounced and Ruffin-Moody reported that the SGO had exceeded its budget. She was suspended without pay from her job as office manager after the suspicious checks were identified.
The second-degree theft charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in state prison and a $150,000 criminal fine. The charge is an indictable offense, so the case will be presented to a grand jury for potential indictment.
Ruffin-Moody and her husband both had bail set at $150,000. –RK