Authorities in Monmouth County say a woman has been arrested for organizing a fundraiser for a Florida man severely injured in a car accident late last year and then stealing more than $15,000 that she raised.

46-year-old Nicole C. Weidelman of Tinton Falls has been charged with third-degree theft by deception.

Investigation Begins

An investigation led by the Tinton Falls Police Department revealed that in November 2022, the recipient of the intended fundraiser was involved in a serious accident on Interstate 95 in Florida.

The recovery from that crash proved to be lengthy and costly, reportedly involving more than a dozen surgeries, several weeks in the hospital, and the loss of an arm, which necessitated a prosthetic.

According to police, Weidelman contacted the man’s mother, who was a longtime family friend, and offered to set up an online fundraiser to assist with medical bills.

But after raising slightly more than $15,000, Weidelman transferred the entirety of the raised sum into her own personal account via more than two dozen transactions, then provided numerous false explanations to the victims over the course of the next several months, before the theft was reported to authorities.

Weidelman was arrested and charged last week.

Legal Teams

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Lawrence Nelsen, Director of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office's Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Bureau.

Information about Weidelman’s legal representation was not immediately available.

The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.