Belmar Fire Marshal Pleads Guilty to Time Card Fraud

TRENTON, N.J. – John Rizzitello, the former Borough of Belmar fire marshal, has pleaded guilty to a staggering act of financial dishonesty. The 45-year-old from Nashville, Tennessee, who previously resided in Freehold, New Jersey, admitted before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court that he defrauded both the Borough of Belmar and Picatinny Arsenal out of approximately $44,795 by fraudulently reporting his hours on time cards.

Between January 2013 and December 2014, Rizzitello falsely reported working around 1,540 hours for the Borough of Belmar Fire Department that he did not actually work. Additionally, he claimed to have logged approximately 508 hours at the Picatinny Fire Department when he was, in fact, employed elsewhere.

The fraudulent activity resulted in losses of $34,141 for the Borough of Belmar and $10,644 for Picatinny Arsenal. Rizzitello’s fraudulent conduct carries a severe penalty, with a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the total financial loss.

According to U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman, the investigation leading to Rizzitello’s guilty plea was conducted by a dedicated team of investigators from the Picatinny Arsenal Criminal Investigations Unit, the Inspector General and Internal Review office at Picatinny Arsenal, and criminal investigators with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Ryan J. Clark, Esq., New Jersey-based defense counsel for Rizzitello, will represent him during the sentencing hearing scheduled for March 27, 2016.

The case is a stark reminder of the integrity issues that can arise within public service roles and the importance of rigorous oversight in government agencies receiving federal funds.