Middlesex Lawyer Jailed for 27 Months
Trenton, N.J. – In a shocking turn of events, Thomas G. Frey, a 55-year-old lawyer from Edison, New Jersey, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison for extorting and defrauding victims through a fake IRS investigation. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson in Trenton federal court.
Frey, a certified public accountant, pleaded guilty to two counts of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit extortion under fear of economic harm and to commit wire fraud. According to documents filed in the case, Frey schemed with Robert G. Cusic Jr., a Millstone, New Jersey, mortgage broker, and another conspirator to defraud four victims, including two police officers. The victims were falsely told they were the subjects of a criminal investigation by the IRS in connection with investment properties they owned.
Frey and Cusic falsely represented to the victims that they had ongoing communications with IRS special agents about the purported investigation. Frey told the victims that if they paid up to $20,000 each, he would call the special agents and have the investigation converted from a criminal tax investigation to an IRS “desk audit,” a civil matter. Frey and his co-conspirators also threatened the victims, stating that if they did not retain Frey’s services and pay the fee, the investigation would likely result in their arrest.
As part of his sentence, Judge Thompson also ordered Frey to serve 3 years of supervised release, complete 300 hours of community service, and pay a fine of $25,000. Frey was also ordered to repay the Criminal Justice Act funds expended on his behalf.
Robert G. Cusic Jr., Frey’s co-conspirator, pleaded guilty to conspiring with Frey to extort the victims in November 2011 and is awaiting sentencing. U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman credited special agents of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration with leading the investigation that resulted in Frey’s sentence.
Frey’s defense counsel, Charles E. Waldron Esq., was also named in the case. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric W. Moran of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division in Trenton.
The case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of upholding the law and protecting the public from those who would seek to defraud and extort them. The sentence imposed on Frey is a testament to the tireless efforts of the investigating agents and prosecutors who worked tirelessly to bring him to justice.
Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
ðŸâ€â€™ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News