Franklin Township CFO charged in alleged double-billing scheme

The chief financial officer of a Hunterdon County municipality has been charged with theft by deception in connection with an alleged double-billing scheme involving township payroll fees.

Cameron Keng was arrested Tuesday by detectives from the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office and charged with one count of third-degree theft by deception, Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée Robeson announced Friday.

Keng serves as the chief financial officer of Franklin Township, a small, rural municipality of about 3,300 residents.  The township’s website continued to list him as CFO on Friday.

The investigation began in June, when Unity Bank conducted an internal review of payroll fee transactions involving Franklin Township.  Bank officials identified what prosecutors described as an alleged double-billing scheme and reported their findings to the prosecutor’s office.

Robeson did not disclose the amount of money allegedly involved, how long the suspected scheme had operated or who received the allegedly improper payments.  It also was not immediately clear whether any township funds were lost or recovered.

The prosecutor’s office said the investigation remains ongoing.

Keng has held a senior role in Franklin Township’s financial operations for years.  He was serving as both chief financial officer and tax collector by 2019.  As CFO, he has been responsible for providing financial information included in township budgets, bond ordinances and other official documents.

He has also held financial posts in other New Jersey municipalities, including positions as a tax collector and municipal finance officer.

Keng was released pending further proceedings and is scheduled to appear before Superior Court Judge Christopher Garrenger for a pre-indictment conference on September 14.