Trenton made whole, pays out ex-Trenton Fire captain
TRENTON » Call it a two-forone.
The city finally ponied up the remaining $975,000 it owed ex-Trenton Fire Capt. Michael Strycharz, who filed a hostile workplace and retaliation lawsuit against the city in June 2017.
Council approved a more than $1.7 million settlement in February, and was on the hook for $800K.
The remaining portion of the settlement was delayed while city officials litigated a dispute with insurance carrier Brit Global Speciality, a subsidiary of Lloyd’s of London.
The insurance carried was the victim of wire transfer fraud that was reportedly being investigated by the Secret Service. The lawsuit accused Brit acted in bad faith and breaching its contract by refusing to reimburse Trenton of more than $982,000 in stolen funds wired to a hacker who controlled a Bank of America account belonging to the fictitious Trenton Viers Equity LLC. Trenton’s lawsuit was dismissed last month, court records show. “The City received 100% of the money from Brit Global,” city law director John Morelli confirmed. “The case has been resolved.”
The battle over the funds meant the city missed a deadline to pay off Strycharz by a stipulated April 21 deadline in the agreement.
The ex-fire official’s lawyer in May asked a court to enforce the settlement.
The city made good on the final payout the day the motion was scheduled to be decided, attorney Justin Burns said, adding he withdrew the action as it was “moot.”
No word on whether the hackers were ever caught.