Former IRS Revenue Agent Charged with Embezzling more than $12 Million and Money Laundering as the Then-CFO and Controller of New Jersey-Based Company

NEWARK, N.J. - A Bergen County man and former Revenue Agent for the Internal Revenue Service was arrested yesterday for embezzling more than $12 million and money laundering as the then-Chief Financial Officer and Controller of a fuel company based in New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.

"As alleged in the complaint, Robert McCloughy - a former IRS Revenue Agent entrusted to enforce the tax laws - used his position as a company's CFO and Controller to steal more than $12 million and then launder the proceeds for his own benefit. This Office is committed to rooting out sophisticated financial fraud and holding accountable those who illegally exploit their positions to enrich themselves at the expense of others."

- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer

Robert M. McCloughy, 43, of Carlstadt, New Jersey was charged in a three-count complaint with one count of wire fraud and two counts of engaging in monetary transactions involving criminally derived property. McCloughy is expected to have his initial yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cari Fais in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

McCloughy previously served as a Revenue Agent with the Internal Revenue Service. In or around 2009, McCloughy was hired by a New Jersey-based fuel company ("Company-1"), where he served interchangeably as the CFO and Controller. From around March 2017 through March 2025, McCloughy misappropriated approximately $12 million from Company-1, separate and apart from what he was paid in the normal course. He did so through at least two methods: (1) causing Company-1's payroll company to pay him unauthorized "expense" reimbursements; and (2) causing unauthorized transfers to be made from Company-1's bank accounts to his personal bank accounts. To hide the fraud, McCloughy made false entries in Company-1's books and records. Then, once McCloughy received the misappropriated funds, he engaged in money laundering transactions, including gambling large sums at online sportsbooks and casinos.

The charge of wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain that any persons derived from the offense or of any pecuniary loss sustained by any victims of the offense, whichever is greatest. Each charge of money laundering carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the amount of criminally derived property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater.

U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer credited special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, and special agents of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Maltese with the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marko Pesce, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division in Newark and Carolyn Silane, Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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