The $26 Million Cyberheist Rocking a Small New Jersey Town

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In historic Cranbury, residents are confronting local leaders over missing money that wasn’t disclosed until after the election. | World News

CRANBURY, N. J.—This historic village, established in 1697, drips with charm. White clapboard houses on Main Street proclaim their vintage—“Built by John Nesbit 1804” reads one plaque—and locals proudly share that George Washington and Alexander Hamilton met here in 1778 ahead of the Battle of Monmouth.

But now Cranbury, a town of about 4,000 people, is reeling from a distinctly modern catastrophe: a cyber theft to the tune of $26 million after they were tricked into wiring money to the wrong place for a land purchase.

On Monday night, residents packed the Cranbury Public Library, spilling past seats into an overflow room. They stepped to the microphone for three minutes each, demanding to know how a heist of this scale occurred, what it means for taxpayers, and why locals weren’t told of the Sept. 28 incident until Friday, three days after an election for one of five township committee seats.

“My heart is simply broken for Cranbury,” Mayor Lisa Knierim told the gathering, her voice catching. “Your anger is valid, your fear is valid.”

People cheered when Police Chief Giuseppe DeChiara confirmed that the municipality would regain the $17.3 million that was seized before thieves could spirit it out of reach. Yet that still leaves nearly $9 million unaccounted for, and the town attorney said it isn’t known how much Cranbury could recoup under its $5 million insurance policy.

Beyond the staggering financial hit, the crime has shaken public trust in local leaders. “I respectfully want to tell the township committee that the buck really should stop with you all,” said Jim Grossnickle, 56, who works in telecommunications. He later vowed to recruit candidates to challenge the incumbents up for re-election next year.

Local governments across America are increasingly lucrative targets for cybercriminals, who deploy malicious software, phishing emails or subtly altered digital addresses to infiltrate government business.

“Grabbing $26 million in one shot puts this in the upper tier…

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