Cranbury Township lost million in wire transfer theft

Cranbury Township lost $26 million in wire transfer theft

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Cranbury Township lost approximately $26 million in a wire transfer theft on September 28, 2026, targeting funds meant to fulfill the municipality’s affordable housing obligations. While investigators have managed to freeze nearly $17.3 million of that sum, the rest remains unaccounted for.

Multi-Agency Task Force Hunts Missing Millions

Mayor Lisa Knierim and the Township Committee disclosed the loss in a public statement released on Friday, November 6. The incident triggered a multi-agency response. Local, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies have formed a task force to track the missing money, with the Cranbury Township Police Department and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office leading the investigation.

Active Investigation Limits Public Details

Giuseppe DeChiara has been updating the Township Committee as the inquiry progresses, and municipal employees are fully cooperating with authorities. The criminal investigation is active, which officials noted limits the amount of detail they can release publicly.

Township Official Acknowledges Resident Concerns

“We recognize that news of this magnitude will understandably raise questions and concerns among our residents. Those concerns are legitimate, and we take them seriously,” Knierim wrote on the township’s website.

Township Committee Schedules Meeting to Introduce New Administrative Positions

To address vulnerabilities in its administrative structure, the Township Committee scheduled a meeting to introduce ordinances creating assistant township administrator and assistant chief financial officer positions. Officials plan to fill the positions as promptly as possible once the ordinances are adopted. At the same time, the committee is weighing a resolution to bring in municipal accounting firm PKF O’Connor Davies for additional financial consulting support, while working alongside insurance carriers to evaluate potential recovery options.

Commitment to Continuity and Accountability

Knierim emphasized that Cranbury intends to protect residents’ financial interests, support the investigation, maintain essential municipal services and share verified information as it becomes available. “Cranbury has always been a community that faces challenges with determination, cooperation, and a shared sense of responsibility,” she wrote. “We have every confidence that we have and will continue to approach this situation with that same commitment.”

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