New Jersey Man Charged With Mailing Fake Workbook Invoices to Schools and Posing as a Financial Firm's Agent to Claim Millions

Published Nov. 11, 2026. Case status is current as of that date.

The invoice looks routine: workbooks or other classroom materials, a company name, an amount due. Federal prosecutors in New Jersey say tens of thousands of invoices like that were mailed to schools around the country for goods that were never sent, and at least 43 schools paid.

That is one of two schemes described in a criminal complaint against Robert Armstrong, 56, of Turnersville, New Jersey. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey announced on Nov. 10, 2026, that Armstrong is charged with bank fraud and mail fraud. He made an initial appearance on Nov. 4 in Camden federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth A. Pascal and is detained [1].

Important: Armstrong is charged, not convicted. The release says "the charges and allegations contained in the complaint against Armstrong are merely accusations, and Armstrong is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty" [1].

Scheme 1: Fake invoices to schools

According to the complaint, as described by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Armstrong set up a company that claimed to be a school supply business. He then "employed a mass mailing company to send tens of thousands of false invoices to schools." The invoices were for "workbooks or other educational goods, which Armstrong did not provide to the schools." Prosecutors say at least 43 schools have paid, losing at least $11,309 [1].

The release does not name the company, the schools or the school districts, and neither do we.

Fake-invoice schemes like this rely on volume and on busy offices. A bill for a modest amount, from a vendor that sounds plausible, can get paid if no one checks whether anyone ordered the goods.

Scheme 2: Posing as an agent to collect unclaimed money

The larger alleged scheme involved money owed to a financial institution, which the release calls "Financial Institution 1," that had invested in a hedge fund [1]:

1. Unclaimed payments. The hedge fund used a subsidiary of "Bank 1" as trustee to pay its investors. Financial Institution 1 did not claim all the money it was owed, and some was held in trust by Bank 1.
2. The first claim. Armstrong allegedly sent Bank 1 false documents claiming he was authorized to collect on Financial Institution 1's behalf. Bank 1 then sent him a check, payable to Financial Institution 1, for about $2,806,524.46, which he allegedly deposited into an account he controlled.
3. The state claim. More unclaimed money built up and was eventually turned over to the State of Texas as escheated (unclaimed) property. Armstrong allegedly sent Texas false online forms and mailed documents claiming to be Financial Institution 1's agent.
4. A copycat company and a borrowed identity. Prosecutors say he created a fake company, which the release calls "Fraudulent Financial Institution 1," opened a bank account for it at "Bank 2," and used "without authority, the persona of another individual who previously had served as the President and Chief Financial Officer of Financial Institution 1."
5. The attempt. Based on those documents, prosecutors say Armstrong tried to take an additional $9,251,641.71.

The release does not identify the financial institution, the banks, the hedge fund or the former executive.

The person charged and his status

Robert Armstrong, 56, of Turnersville, N.J. Charged by complaint with one count of bank fraud (maximum 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine) and one count of mail fraud (maximum 20 years and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss). Initial appearance Nov. 4, 2026; detained [1]. He has not been convicted.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the FDIC Office of Inspector General investigated, with help from the Washington Township Police Department. The release lists Assistant Federal Public Defender Ikram Ally as defense counsel [1]. We found no public statement from Armstrong or his lawyer. The release does not give a case number or next court date.

Red flags

These are general warning signs, not claims about any person beyond what the complaint alleges.

For schools, nonprofits and small businesses:

• An invoice from a vendor you've never used, or for goods no one remembers ordering.
• No purchase order number, or a PO number that doesn't match your records.
• Small, routine-looking amounts that fall under the level that triggers extra approval.
• "Renewal" or "past due" language for a first-time vendor.

For anyone with unclaimed money:

• Someone contacting a state on your behalf without your written authorization.
• Look-alike company names that differ from yours by a word or punctuation mark.

What to do if you're targeted

1. Match every invoice to a purchase order and confirm delivery before paying. Call the vendor using contact details from your own records, not the invoice.
2. Keep an approved-vendor list and require a second sign-off for any new vendor.
3. If you paid a fake invoice, contact your bank right away and report it to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at uspis.gov/report if it came by mail, and to the FBI at ic3.gov.
4. Check for unclaimed property yourself through your state's official site or MissingMoney.com. Claiming directly from the state is free.
5. Businesses: watch for impersonation. Check your state's business registry periodically for companies using names close to yours.

Case status (as of Nov. 11, 2026)

Defendant	Court	Status	Source
Robert Armstrong, 56, Turnersville, N.J.	U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey (Camden)	Charged by complaint with bank fraud and mail fraud; initial appearance Nov. 4, 2026; detained; not convicted; presumed innocent	[1]

Statuses can change. The release does not give a case number or next court date.

Sources

1. U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Jersey, "Turnersville Man Charged with Defrauding a Bank and School Districts," Press Release No. 26-248, Nov. 10, 2026. https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/turnersville-man-charged-defrauding-bank-and-school-districts

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