Monmouth County, NJ — A Howell woman has pleaded guilty to stealing millions from her longtime employer and committing tax fraud over several years, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced.
Jeanette Avellan, 62, admitted to second-degree theft of movable property, third-degree failure to pay income taxes, and third-degree filing a fraudulent tax return during a plea hearing before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Natalie S. Watson.
Avellan, who worked as a bookkeeper for West End Express Co. in South Brunswick since 2005, systematically embezzled approximately $4 million between January 2017 and January 2023. She confessed that the bulk of the stolen money was used to fuel her gambling habit.
In addition to the theft, Avellan knowingly filed fraudulent tax returns for the years 2019, 2020, and 2021, omitting the misappropriated income and failing to pay the corresponding taxes.
Under a plea agreement, Avellan faces a recommended sentence of four years in state prison. She also agreed to:
Repay $4.03 million in restitution to her former employer
Pay $559,919 to the New Jersey Division of Taxation, covering back taxes, penalties, and interest
Sentencing is scheduled for May 9, 2025, before Superior Court Judge Henry P. Butehorn in Monmouth County.
The case was investigated by the Division of Criminal Justice’s Casino Prosecution Unit, New Jersey State Police Financial Crimes Unit, New Jersey Division of Taxation, and the DCJ Frauds and Forfeiture Bureau. It is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General John Corson, under the supervision of Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Davis.
