NEWS RELEASE |
OFFICE OF THE ESSEX COUNTY PROSECUTOR |
PAULA T. DOW, Essex County Prosecutor |
| For Immediate Release | | Wednesday, July 12, 2006 |
|
Former Seton Hall University Director Pleads Guilty for Embezzlement |
|
| First Assistant Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray today announced that a former director of Seton Hall |
| University’s WSOU 89.5 FM Pirate Radio, has pleaded guilty for embezzling more than $550,000.00 from Seton |
| Hall University from 1991 to the termination of his employment in 2004. |
| |
| According to First Assistant Prosecutor Murray, Michael Collazo, 58, of Hampton, pleaded guilty this afternoon |
| before the Honorable Harold Fullilove to second degree theft. Collazo will be sentenced on August 18 before |
| Judge Fullilove. The State is recommending a five-year State Prison sentence. |
| |
| “Mr. Collazo abused his power as director, and let his greed get the best of him” said First Assistant Prosecutor |
| Murray. “His deplorable conduct cost him his reputable job and a significant amount of time behind bars.” |
| |
| According to lead Assistant Prosecutor Gail Gallagher, Collazo’s scheme involved embezzling more than |
| $236,000.00 of underwriting money and also included the unauthorized leasing of WSOU’s two radio |
| subfrequencies. Collazo deposited this stolen money into two of his business accounts and used it to pay for |
| personal expenses. |
| |
| Assistant Prosecutor Gallagher said that beginning in 1991 Collazo entered into a lease agreement with Radio |
| Verite, a radio station that broadcasts to the Haitian community. This agreement allowed Radio Verite to utilize one |
| of WSOU’s two sub frequencies. In 1999, Collazo leased the second sub frequency to EIES of NJ, an organization |
| that provides radio broadcasts for the blind. These lease payments generated from the two agreements totaled nearly |
| $350,000.00. Seton Hall never received any of the lease income. |
| |
| First Assistant Prosecutor Murray commended the lead Investigator Cheryl Contreras and lead Assistant |
| Prosecutor Gail Gallagher of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Official Corruption and Economic Crime Section for |
| their hard work and diligent efforts. Murray also praised the efforts the Official Corruption and Economic Crime |
| Section Lieutenant Syed Hussain, Investigators Nicole Berrian and Bruce Davis for assisting in the arrest of |
| Collazo. |
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CONTACT: | PAUL M. LORIQUET, Press Secretary | (973) 621-4021 |
| Essex County Prosecutor's Office | (973) 621-4700 |
| Essex County Courts Building |
| Newark, New Jersey 07102 |