A bookkeeper for the firm that publishes Red Bank Red Hot magazine faces up to ten years in prison on charges of stealing $470,000 from the firm over two years, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor.

Rebecca Cirillo, 32, of Atlantic Highlands, was arrested by borough police yesterday on a complaint charging her with second degree theft by deception.

A joint investigation conducted by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Red Bank Police Department revealed that between July of 2005 and November of 2007, Cirillo used her position as bookkeeper to steal approximately $470,000 from her employer, Ansorge Unlimited, Inc. Ansorge Unlimited, Inc. is an advertising and marketing company located in Red Bank, N.J. Cirillo was terminated from her position with the company in November of 2007.

The investigation began when an internal audit conducted at Ansorge Unlimited, Inc. revealed that Cirillo, a part-time employee with the company, diverted large sums of money from the company’s account to her personal use by writing company checks to herself or to “cash.” Cirillo then attempted to cover up the transactions by making false entries into the company’s accounting system. The investigation revealed that as an employee of Ansorge Unlimited, Inc. from 2005 to 2007, Cirillo should have received a total net salary of $77,159.64. Instead, bank records and other documents obtained during the investigation revealed that Cirillo received a total of $550,821.52 from the company, thus making the total amount of the theft approximately $473,661.88.

Following her arrest, Cirillo was released on her own recognizance by Monmouth
County Superior Court Judge Ira E. Kreizman.