TRENTON – Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that a man who worked at a state-operated housing recovery center in Newark after Superstorm Sandy has been indicted on charges that he demanded thousands of dollars in bribes and fictitious fees from storm victims, fraudulently representing to the victims that he could expedite and/or increase the federal relief funds they received.

The Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Computer Crimes Bureau obtained a four-count state grand jury indictment on Friday, July 20, charging Ronald Golden, 43, of Norristown, Pa., with bribery in official and political matters (2nd degree), theft by deception (3rd degree), attempted theft by deception (3rd degree), and identity theft (4th degree). The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Inspector General, assisted by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA).

Golden was hired in June 2013 as a housing adviser who processed applications for federal relief funds at a housing recovery center in Newark. The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs set up housing recovery centers, including the one in Newark, and hired contract employees for the centers through two outside employment agencies. Golden was hired through those employment agencies...