By: Richard L. Smith
A Newark woman is facing dozens of criminal charges in connection with a large-scale fraud scheme involving forged documents, impersonation, and the theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars from victims across New Jersey, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced Wednesday.
Joyce Kirkland, 59, was arrested at her Newark home on the morning of June 25 without incident.
She has been charged with 29 counts, including second- and third-degree offenses related to theft, money laundering, forgery, and criminal impersonation.
Authorities say Kirkland forged signatures on a deed as part of an illegal real estate transaction.
A deeper investigation uncovered what prosecutors describe as an elaborate and far-reaching scheme that included forging the names of deceased individuals and other victims on real estate records, applying for and using credit cards, negotiating fraudulent checks, and conducting unauthorized banking activity.
Kirkland also allegedly submitted falsified documents to collect more than $300,000 from the State of New Jersey’s Emergency Rental Assistance Programs, further expanding the scope of the alleged fraud.
In total, investigators estimate that she stole more than $600,000 through a variety of deceptive practices.
Kirkland is currently being held at the Essex County Jail pending a detention hearing.
The investigation is ongoing.