BRICK TOWNSHIP, N.J. — He was once named employee of the month in Brick Township, now he’s facing charges for shaking down local sports teams for cash.
The Director of Recreation for Brick Township has been charged with theft and forgery after allegedly creating fake permits and pocketing cash payments from groups renting the town’s softball fields, authorities said.
Daniel Santaniello, 46, was arrested on Thursday following an investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and the Brick Township Police Department, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer and Brick Township Police Chief David Forrester. Santaniello, a township resident, has been charged with theft and uttering a forged instrument in connection with his role as Director of Recreation.
Officials claim Santaniello, who was responsible for issuing permits to groups seeking to use the township’s softball fields, required certain organizations to pay him directly in cash. Police allege that instead of depositing the funds into township accounts, Santaniello kept the money for himself and issued fraudulent permits to cover his tracks.
Santaniello was arrested at his home on July 17 without incident, authorities said.
The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office noted that the investigation remains ongoing.