James Donio, the 50-year-old former president of Hammonton First, an independent political group in New Jersey, is accused of stealing more than $914,000 from an elderly businesswoman he called a close friend. The victim is 80 years old, a lifelong resident of Hammonton, and had trusted Donio for years before the scheme unraveled.
According to NJ.com, police say the fraud ran from 2019 through 2025. Donio allegedly used fake leases, an improper mortgage discharge, and unauthorized checks drawn from both the woman's personal and business accounts to funnel money out without her knowledge. Six years of quiet, systematic theft from someone who never saw it coming.
How It Came to Light
People close to the victim noticed unusual activity in her financial records and alerted authorities. Donio was arrested over the weekend. A pre-indictment conference is already scheduled for September 2nd.
He faces five counts of theft, plus separate charges for falsifying business records and money laundering. Hammonton police are asking anyone with additional information to call 609-561-4000.
The case is a reminder of how financial exploitation of older adults often hides inside relationships built on years of trust, the same kind of vulnerability that regulators flag when warning about unauthorized transfers and misappropriated funds in any financial context.
Markets had no reaction. This one stayed local.
