Brick Township's director of recreation accused of theft, issuing fake permits

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The director of recreation for Brick Township is accused of pocketing money and issuing fake permits. According to police and Ocean County prosecutors, 46-year-old Daniel Santaniello, of Brick Township, was charged with theft and uttering a forged instrument relative to his position as director of recreation for the township. Authorities say as the director of recreation, Santaniello was responsible for issuing permits to private organizations for utilizing recreational facilities, including the township’s various softball fields. Private organizations that wanted to use the fields were charged fees for their usage. An investigation revealed Santaniello required certain organizations wishing to use the township’s fields to pay him directly in cash, rather than issuing checks to the township, according to authorities. They say Santaniello kept the money for himself instead of depositing payment into the township’s accounts. Authorities say Santaniello covered up his theft by providing the private organizations who paid him in cash with fake permits. The amount of money that Santaniello allegedly stole from private organizations was not revealed. Santaniello was taken into custody at his house on Wednesday. His court appearance in Ocean County Superior Court is pending. Anyone with additional information regarding this incident should contact Detective Joseph Mitchell of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Economic Crime Squad at 732-929-2027, ext. 3532, or Lieutenant Paul Catalina of the Brick Township Police Department at 732-262-1100. "