Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer and Point Pleasant Borough Police Chief Adam Picca announced that on March 29, 2023, Donna Frustieri, 55, of Thunderbolt, Georgia, was charged with Theft in connection with the unlawful taking of funds from an attorney trust account of a Point Pleasant law office.
The charges are the result of an investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Economic Crime Squad and Point Pleasant Borough Police Department. The investigation revealed that Frustieri – in her capacity as a legal secretary at the law firm – had access to the financial instruments utilized by the firm’s attorney trust account. The trust account held funds belonging to numerous clients of the law practice. The investigation further revealed that between May 2015 and June 2021, Frustieri unlawfully issued approximately 139 checks from the trust account totaling in excess of $184,000. The checks were made payable to family members and other individuals connected to Frustieri. Ultimately, the law office reimbursed all of the stolen funds to the trust account so that no clients were harmed.
On March 29, 2023, Frustieri was served with the charges via summons pending an upcoming first appearance in Ocean County Superior Court.
Prosecutor Billhimer and Chief Picca acknowledge the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Economic Crime Squad, Point Pleasant Borough Police Department, and Thunderbolt (Georgia) Police Department, for their collaborative efforts in connection with this investigation.
The charges referenced above are merely accusations and the press and public are reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. R.P.C. 3.6(b)(6)