Like most fraud and theft statutes, penalties under N.J.S.A. 2C:21-34, False Contract Payment Claims, Representation; Prevailing Wage Violations, are tied to the value of the fraud or violation. The lowest grade charge under the statute is a crime of the fourth degree, and applies when the value of a contract or claim is less than $2,500. If convicted, you’ll face up to 18 months in prison and a fine of $10,000. When the contract or claim is worth $2,500 to $25,000, you’ll be charged at the third degree level. For prevailing wage violations, a contract between $2,500 and $75,000 will produce a third degree charge. Conviction at this level can result in a three to five year sentence and a fine of up to $15,000.
The most serious charge is reserved for higher value crimes. Contracts or claims valued above $25,000 land here, and for prevailing wage violations, contracts above $75,000 are penalized this way. The potential sentence is five to 10 years, and your fine can go as high as $150,000. For wage violations, you’ll also be ordered to pay restitution to the workers you defrauded.
These are serious charges that will ruin your business and can put you in prison for years. Call Matthew Reisig today at 732-625-9661 and talk to an experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney for free.