By: Richard L. Smith
A Hackensack woman has been arrested after authorities say she allegedly poisoned an acquaintance during a restaurant meeting in Fort Lee that was arranged to discuss suspicious banking activity.
According to information released by Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella, Rohweniven Bacani, 52, of Hackensack, faces a third-degree aggravated assault charge following a weeks-long investigation.
Authorities said the victim met Bacani at a Fort Lee restaurant on September 8, 2026, to discuss unauthorized transactions involving financial accounts to which Bacani reportedly had shared access.
Investigators determined that Bacani arrived before the victim and had a cup of tea waiting for her.
After drinking some of the tea, the victim reportedly noticed an unusual taste and stopped drinking. She later collapsed while leaving the restaurant and regained consciousness in a hospital, unaware of how she had gotten there.
Officials said the victim remained hospitalized for several days before beginning her recovery.
The investigation, conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and Leonia Police Department, determined that the tea had allegedly been laced with a benzodiazepine, a controlled substance.
Bacani was charged on October 14 and arrested the following day outside her Hackensack residence.
She was transported to the Bergen County Jail pending her first court appearance in Bergen County Superior Court.