By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
The former paid accountant of a student performing arts group at Princeton University pleaded not guilty Monday to embezzling more than $180,000 from the club over five years.
Thomas Muza was arraigned in a Mercer County courtroom in Trenton on second-degree theft by unlawful taking, the only count in an indictment a grand jury handed up June 2. He did not speak during his appearance before Judge Mark J. Fleming, as his lawyer, Robin K. Lord, entered the plea for him.
Mr. Muza faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted, although the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office announced Monday a plea offer calling for a much shorter prison term of three years. Mr. Muza, due back in court in October, left the courtroom declining to comment.
Authorities have portrayed Mr. Muza, 56, as a white-collar criminal who was caught red handed. He started working in 1993 as the account of the Triangle Club, an undergraduate group of performers founded in 1891, the attorney general’s office said.
But Mr. Muza, who also had been the general manager of McCarter Theatre, allegedly was taking money from the club between January 2008 and February 2013, authorities claimed.
Acting-New Jersey Attorney General John J. Hoffman’s office has alleged that Mr. Muza, of Hightstown, stole the money to pay bills and other expenses. An investigation uncovered that he allegedly wrote Triangle Club checks out to himself and also used club checks to pay credit card bills.
The law firm for the club looked into the matter at first and then referred the case to state authorities, with Mr. Muza being charged on Nov.27, Mr. Hoffman’s office has said. Mr. Muza was dismissed by the club in May, Mr. Hoffman’s office said.
Deputy Attorney General Mark Kurzawa said in court that the plea bargain offer calls for him to plead guilty to theft, which would be sentenced as a third-degree offense. The sentence recommendation would call for a three-year prison term and restitution. Mr. Kurzawa said the alleged theft was in excess of $180,000, but he did not have a precise number.
Mr. Muza sat inside Judge Fleming’s courtroom waiting for his case to be heard in the morning. As for his lawyer, Ms. Lord is a household name in local legal circles, having defended accused killers and the like during her career as an attorney.
Mr. Muza had his contract with McCarter terminated at the end of 2013, according to the theater on Monday.

