The defendant's husband and co-defendant recently passed away from an undisclosed illness.
Somerset County courthouse. (File photo)HILLSBOROUGH -- A township woman who, along with her now-deceased husband, is accused of swindling a 71-year-old widow out of her life savings missed her second straight status conference hearing Friday in Somerset County Superior Court.
Wilhelmina Gangi, 59, told the court on Thursday she's suffering from bronchitis and couldn't make Friday's hearing. She missed her last hearing because of nausea and a sore throat, authorities said.
Oct. 9 is Wilhelmina Gangi's next court date.
In February, Wilhelmina Gangi and her husband, Thomas Gangi Jr., 65, pleaded not guilty at their arraignment. Thomas Gangi Jr., however, has since passed away from an illness, authorities said.
The couple have been charged second-degree theft by deception, second-degree theft by failure to make required disposition of property and second-degree misapplication of entrusted property.
The victim, Martha Figalora, had her home in Hillsborough foreclosed and is now living in a garden apartment because of the scheme.
Assistant prosecutor Frank Kolodzieski has previously made a plea offer of eight years in prison for the couple along with restitution. It's not known if that same deal is available to Wilhelminia Gangi in light of her's husband's death.
RELATED: Hillsborough couple pleads not guilty to swindling elderly widow
In June 2010, the couple entered into an agreement with Figalora to purchase a residential property in Matawan, renovate it and resell it, with the victim getting back her original investment and a share of the profits, authorities have said. She purchased the property for approximately $135,000, authorities have said.
Thomas Gangi Jr. was a contractor and was to do much of the work, authorities have said.
Instead, authorities allege, the couple took out loans against two properties that Figalora owned and used the money to finance a luxury-filled lifestyle that included mink coats, fancy dinners, a new car, expensive clothing and visits to pet salons.
A year after her initial investment, Figalora, at the behest of the couple, took out a $95,000 reverse mortgage on her retirement home in Florida to finance repairs on the Matawan property, authorities have said.
After spending $95,000, Figalora and Wilhelmina Gangi jointly applied for a $60,000 home equity loan in January 2012. After depleting the $60,000 loan, the couple later took out two more loans against Figalora's properties totaling another $107,700, authorities have said.
The loan for $95,700 at 16-percent interest was used to pay off the first two home equity loans leaving a balance of approximately $14,000.00, which was also depleted, authorities have said.
In March 2012, Figalora was convinced to transfer the deed to the Matawan property solely to Wilhelmina Gangi to protect the property against creditors, authorities have said.
Finally, in April 2013, the couple finished renovating the property and sold it for approximately $343,000 but didn't tell Figalora, authorities have said. After paying off the loans, the defendants received a balance of $156,607.88, authorities have said.
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com.Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
