Key Takeaways
- • A New Jersey woman, Kristen G. Arntz, 54, of Beachwood, Ocean County, has been indicted for allegedly collecting $217,839 (£161,627) in union pension and annuity payments after concealing her mother's death.
- • Prosecutors allege the payments ran from January 2021 through July 2025, sourced from the Ironworkers Local 11 pension fund ($97,139) and the union's annuity fund ($120,700).
- • Arntz faces two counts of second-degree theft by deception and three counts of third-degree forgery under New Jersey law.
- • The indictment alleges she took control of her mother's bank account and forged letters in her mother's name requesting advance annuity payments.
- • Deputy Attorney General Lindsey Watson of the Division of Criminal Justice Fraud Unit is handling the case, which remains under investigation.
Summary
A New Jersey woman has been indicted after allegedly collecting $217,839 (£161,627) in union pension and annuity payments by concealing her mother's death and continuing to receive benefits in her name for more than four years, according to the primary report. Kristen G. Arntz, 54, of Beachwood, Ocean County, faces two counts of second-degree theft by deception and three counts of third-degree forgery. Prosecutors allege she received the money between January 2021 and July 2025 through benefits connected to Ironworkers Local 11.
According to the indictment, Arntz did not notify the union of her mother's death and allegedly took control of her mother's bank account, allowing payments to continue. Prosecutors say she collected $97,139 (£72,073) from the Ironworkers Local 11 pension fund and another $120,700 (£89,554) from the union's annuity fund. Investigators also allege that several letters were forged in her mother's name and sent to the union requesting advance payments from the annuity fund, which form the basis of the forgery counts.
Under New Jersey law, second-degree crimes carry potential penalties of up to 10 years in state prison and fines of up to $150,000 (£111,345), while third-degree offences carry maximum penalties of five years and fines of up to $15,000 (£11,135). These are statutory maximums rather than a predicted sentence, and any outcome would depend on court proceedings if a conviction were secured.
Deputy Attorney General Lindsey Watson of the Division of Criminal Justice's Fraud Unit is handling the case, and the investigation remains ongoing. Authorities have asked anyone with relevant information to contact the division's tip line at 800-277-2427. New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said private pension funds help provide financial security to workers who have contributed over many years, and Martha Nye, interim director of the Division of Criminal Justice, described the alleged concealment as a betrayal of employees who depend on these programmes.
The allegations underline the importance of accurate beneficiary records and controls over payments made after a recipient's death. The report notes that the case does not establish a wider administrative weakness in union pension systems, and the indictment does not detail which safeguards were in place or how the payments were discovered.
According to the indictment, Arntz did not notify the union of her mother's death and allegedly took control of her mother's bank account, allowing payments to continue. Prosecutors say she collected $97,139 (£72,073) from the Ironworkers Local 11 pension fund and another $120,700 (£89,554) from the union's annuity fund. Investigators also allege that several letters were forged in her mother's name and sent to the union requesting advance payments from the annuity fund, which form the basis of the forgery counts.
Under New Jersey law, second-degree crimes carry potential penalties of up to 10 years in state prison and fines of up to $150,000 (£111,345), while third-degree offences carry maximum penalties of five years and fines of up to $15,000 (£11,135). These are statutory maximums rather than a predicted sentence, and any outcome would depend on court proceedings if a conviction were secured.
Deputy Attorney General Lindsey Watson of the Division of Criminal Justice's Fraud Unit is handling the case, and the investigation remains ongoing. Authorities have asked anyone with relevant information to contact the division's tip line at 800-277-2427. New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said private pension funds help provide financial security to workers who have contributed over many years, and Martha Nye, interim director of the Division of Criminal Justice, described the alleged concealment as a betrayal of employees who depend on these programmes.
The allegations underline the importance of accurate beneficiary records and controls over payments made after a recipient's death. The report notes that the case does not establish a wider administrative weakness in union pension systems, and the indictment does not detail which safeguards were in place or how the payments were discovered.
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