MIDDLETOWN – A Monmouth County grand jury returned an indictment charging a furniture store owner of consumer fraud Oct. 29.
William C. Neumann Jr., 61, of the Leonardo section of Middletown, was charged with second-degree theft by deception, third-degree theft of movable property, second-degree misconduct by a corporate official and one count each of the third-degree crimes of failure to pay taxes, failure to file taxes and failure to turn over taxes, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.
Neumann is the owner of Cabbage Rose LLC, a furniture store in Fair Haven, as well as Chelsea Manor Unlimited, an online furniture store.
According to a press release from the Prosecutor’s Office, a number of complaints were sent to the Prosecutor’s Office, the Fair Haven Police Department and the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs where an investigation was then conducted.
The investigation revealed that Neumann received furniture orders and also accepted deposits for merchandise pursuant to generated invoices.
From January 2004 through January 2007, Neumann received payments from customers totaling over $350,000 and failed to deliver the merchandise or submit refunds, the press release stated.
Neumann told victims that he was an authorized dealer for several furniture distributors throughout the United States when, in fact, this was untrue, according to the Prosecutor’s Office, which said he defrauded 81 people throughout the U.S.
In addition, the press release said that from 2003 until 2006, Neumann failed to file New Jersey Gross Income Tax Returns or remit the taxes due, and from 2001 to 2006 failed to file and pay sales tax.
He is currently free on $150,000 bail set by Superior Court Judge Paul F. Chaiet.
If convicted on all charges, Neumann faces a maximum potential state prison sentence of up to 40 years.
“The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office will continue to work cooperatively with the New Jersey Department of Consumer Affairs, New Jersey Division of Taxation and the Fair Haven Police Department to ensure that dishonest retailers will think twice about how to conduct business,” Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis A. Valentin said in a press release.
“The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office remains committed to protecting the interests of consumers and in pursuit of this objective we will vigorously prosecute those who fail to adhere to the laws and treat consumers fairly,” Valentin said in the press release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Monmouth County Prosecutor Barbara Suppa.
The defendant is represented by Shelley Logan, of Freehold.