Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of MARTIN S. FISHMAN (DOB: 02/24/1951; married; unemployed) of 954 Pines Terrace, Franklin Lakes, NJ on charges of misappropriating clients’ money, identity theft, and forgery. FISHMAN’S license to practice law is suspended in New Jersey and revoked in New York. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Acting Chief Matthew Finck.
Starting in May 2023, four victims reported to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Financial Crimes Unit that, as early as 2014, they had been involved in real estate transactions with MARTIN S. FISHMAN, who had not repaid his loans, fraudulently drafted mortgage notes, dispersed bounced checks for real estate closings, misapplied funds intended for an attorney trust account, and then ceased communication with those attempting to recoup their money. The stolen funds totaled over $600,000.00.
On Tuesday, February 27, 2024, MARTIN S. FISHMAN was charged with second-degree theft by unlawful taking or disposition, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3(a); second-degree theft by deception, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-4; second-degree theft by failure to make required disposition of property received, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-9; second-degree misapplication of entrusted property, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-15; second-degree impersonation, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-18(a)2; and third-degree forgery, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-1(a)3. Following his arrest, FISHMAN was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending his first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, New Jersey.
Prosecutor Musella states that the charges are merely accusations, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. He would like to thank the Franklin Lakes Police Department for its assistance with this investigation.
