New Jersey Men Admit Faking 9/11 Charity, Used Truck Painted With Twin Towers

Two New Jersey men have pleaded guilty to creating a bogus 9/11 charity that collected donations using a truck painted with the twin towers and names of rescuers who died at ground zero.
 
Prosecutors say Thomas Scalgione, 41, of Stafford Township, and Mark Niemczyk, 67, of Tinton Falls, brought the custom-painted pickup truck to public events, where they sold T-shirts featuring the logos of the NYPD and FDNY.
 
But they never gave any of the proceeds, which totaled more than $50,000, to the victims' families or to 9/11 charities as promised, authorities said.
 
The men pleaded guilty Monday to third-degree theft.
 
Prosecutors are recommending that Niemczyk be sentenced to about a year in jail plus probation, and Scalgione get probation.
 
They are set to be sentenced March 7.
 
The men must also pay more than $100,000 in penalties and fees.
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