Wyckoff Woman Admits to Stealing $200K from Employer

A Wyckoff woman and an ex-town council candidate from Wayne who worked together at a dentist’s office in Haledon have admitted that they stole $200,000 from their former boss, NorthJersey.com reported.

According to the report, Arlene Marchese, 35, of Wayne, and Karen Wright, 44, of Wyckoff, worked as the office manager and dental hygienist, respectively, at Belmont Dental Associates for more than a decade. The two pleaded guilty in a state Superior Court in Paterson Monday, admitting to diverting insurance payments from their employer over a six-year period beginning in 2005, the report said.

The women said they were authorized to receive the insurance checks, but instead of depositing them in the Belmont business account, they deposited them in a separate account and used the money themselves, the report said.

According to NorthJersey.com, Marchese and Wright agreed to a plea deal that will have them pay back the $200,000 in regular installments, and they will receive probation when they are sentenced on May 2.

Marchese was a Democratic candidate for Wayne's 2nd Ward council seat in 2011. Wayne Democratic Chairman Ray Egatz replaced her for unspecified reasons.