MAPLEWOOD MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN DEBT RELIEF FRAUD CASE

A Maplewood man accused of bilking customers out of nearly $298,000 through two debt relief businesses struck a plea deal with prosecutors that will put him in prison for up to seven years.

The state Attorney General's office announced Friday that Germaine Theodore, 36, the owner of TGC Movement in Maplewood and Save My Future of Jersey City, agreed to plead guilty to second-degree and third-degree theft charges.

An Attorney General press release stated, in part:

Theodore pleaded guilty today to a third-degree theft charge before Superior Court Judge Mitzy Galis-Menendez in relation to Save My Future. Under the plea agreement, he must plead guilty in Essex County at a date to be determined to a second-degree theft charge related to TGC Movement. 

The plea agreement stipulates that the state will recommend that he be sentenced to seven years in state prison on the TGC Movement charge and four years in prison on the Save My Future charge, with the sentences to run concurrently. He must pay restitution of approximately $250,000 to clients of TGC Movement and approximately $48,000 to clients of Save My Future. Judge Galis-Menendez scheduled sentencing in the Hudson County case for June 23.

Read the rest of the release HERE.

Theodore was first arrested in 2013.