By Nicolas Fernandes
nj.com
(TNS)
A New Jersey accountant has been charged with multiple crimes over allegations that he spent years stealing more than $1 million from a local business.
Michael Delia, 61, of West Orange, is charged with money laundering, failure to turn over collected tax and two counts of theft by unlawful taking, the state Attorney General’s Office said in a statement on Wednesday.
All of the charges are considered second-degree crimes.
State investigators allege that Delia used his job as an accountant and bookkeeper for a local business owner to steal $1.64 million from the man’s two companies.
The accountant diverted funds from the company accounts to his own personal and corporate bank accounts from 2016 to 2023, authorities allege.
A review of Delia’s financial records found that he was using the funds for personal expenses including sports betting, credit cards bills and mortgage payments, officials said.
“Our business owners should be able to trust their hired professionals to help them run their businesses responsibly and legally,” Acting Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said. “The defendant in this case is accused of violating his trust as the accountant and bookkeeper for two companies, lining his pockets at their expense and at the expense of the people of New Jersey. This conduct will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
The accountant diverted collected sales taxes and other funds totaling more than $910,000 to his own bank accounts, the state said.
In addition, he made checks payable to himself, which exceeded his agreed upon earnings by about $733,000, prosecutors said.
For the 2023 tax year, he transferred approximately $123,000 that was owed to the New Jersey Department of Treasury to a company called STP Processing, which is registered in his name, authorities said.
The state did not disclose the name of the victim companies in its statement on Wednesday.
Photo credit: baona/iStock
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©2026 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit nj.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC.
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