Monmouth Clerks Accused of Ripping Off Their Company

Two bookkeepers for a Neptune iron firm await court proceedings on charges that they stole hundreds of thousands from the company through forged checks, credit card fraud and payroll manipulation.

Debra Latshaw, 54, of Neptune Township, and Marilyn Berger, 67, of Freehold Township, were incited Wednesday by a grand jury in Monmouth County Superior Court, according to information from acting County Prosecutor Chris Grammiccioni's office.

Latshaw, an assistant bookkeeper at Mastercraft Iron, Inc., is accused of forging checks totaling some $300,000 and using a credit card without authorization. She faces a second-degree charge of theft and three third-degree counts related to credit card fraud and forgery.

Berger is also charged with running up a credit card tab without authorization, and with pulling about $30,000 out of the company through its payroll. She's charged with third-degree theft by deception and unauthorized use of a company credit card.

Both were released to await court dates. Latshaw posted $35,000 bail, authorities said.

A conviction for theft would place Latshaw at risk for five to 10 years in prison. The third-degree charges carry possible terms of up to five years each.