Newark, NJ – Teresina DeAlmeida, a 59-year-old former assistant dean at a graduate school in Essex County, New Jersey, has been sentenced to 36 months in prison for orchestrating an elaborate fraud scheme that spanned over a decade. DeAlmeida, along with her co-conspirators Rose Martins (her assistant) and Silvia Cardoso (her sister), siphoned over $1.3 million from the university through a web of deceit and illicit transactions.
Unveiling the Complex Web of Deception
DeAlmeida, who held a position of trust with access to financial systems, exploited her authority to execute a multi-faceted scheme. The fraudulent activities, which took place between 2009 and July 2022, involved:
- Ghost Employees: DeAlmeida arranged for a vendor to pay Martins and Cardoso for services they never rendered. This was facilitated through a series of false invoices submitted to the graduate school, effectively creating “ghost employees” on the vendor’s payroll.
- Gift Card Racket: The conspirators manipulated vendors into purchasing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of gift cards and prepaid debit cards, which they then used for personal gain. DeAlmeida also misused her school-issued credit card for similar purchases, fraudulently approving the charges and forging signatures on internal documents.
- Shell Company Scam: Martins established a shell company, CMS Content Management Specialist LLC, which fraudulently billed the graduate school for over $208,000 despite never providing any actual services. This added another layer of complexity to their scheme, further concealing their illicit activities.
- Personal Shopping Spree: DeAlmeida and Martins used the school’s funds for a range of unauthorized personal purchases, from shoes and smartwatches to bed linens. They even went so far as to alter receipts to avoid detection when submitting them for reimbursement.
Justice Served: Sentencing and Repercussions
U.S. District Judge Julien Xavier Neals sentenced DeAlmeida to 36 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release. She has also been ordered to pay restitution of approximately $1,397,000 to the university. This sentence reflects the severity of her crimes and the breach of trust involved in defrauding an institution dedicated to education.
Law Enforcement Agencies Speak Out
The case has drawn strong condemnation from law enforcement agencies:
- U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger: “The defendant abused her position of trust… My office is committed to relentlessly prosecuting those who commit financial frauds.”
- IRS Criminal Investigation: “Financial fraud like this will not be tolerated… We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to root out and investigate these financial crimes.”
- FBI: “DeAlmeida took funds meant for students… The FBI and our partners have the tools to investigate wrongdoing and hold accountable those who don’t think anyone will notice $1.3 million is missing.”
- Department of Education Office of Inspector General: “Her willful diversion and theft of funds intended for the school and its students was completely unacceptable… We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of Federal education funds.”
Collaborative Investigation and Prosecution
The successful prosecution of this case was the result of a collaborative effort by special agents from the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Education. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Silane and Aja Espinosa of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark represented the government.
