Crime & Safety
Wyckoff Man Collected $72K Intended for Dead Mother
Authorities say Joseph Taradyna received tens of thousands of dollars in federal payments intended for his mother, who had been dead since 2009.
County prosecutors say a Wyckoff man bilked the federal government out of more than $70,000 when he accepted cash intended for his mother, who had died in 2009.
Joseph Taradyna, 48, of Brook Road, was charged with theft by deception on Monday, Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli said in a release.
The charges are the result of an investigation conducted by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
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Veterans Affairs alerted the county prosecutor that Taradyna accepted payments from the VA intended for his mother, Henrietta Taradyna.
Henrietta died on April 3, 2009, and Joseph failed to notify the VA of her death, according to prosecutors.
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Joseph Taradyna continued to receive the monthly payments for 60 months and use the money for his own personal use, officials said.
The VA deposited the money to an account that had been shared by Joseph and his mother, according to officials.
The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office says the amount stolen by the Wyckoff man totalled $72,900.
Joseph Taradyna is scheduled to appear in the Bergen County Central Municipal Court on Oct. 24.
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