Monmouth Beach contractor gets probation for 65K theft in Ocean Township

Erik Larsen, Asbury Park Press
·2 min read

OCEAN TOWNSHIP - A Monmouth Beach developer has been given probation after he pleaded guilty to stealing about $65,000 from a local homeowner, acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced on Thursday.

Mihkel Grunbaum, 49, was sentenced to two years of probation and was ordered to immediately make $65,000 in restitution to the victim, who was not identified in the statement from the Prosecutor’s Office.

Earlier this year, Grunbam pleaded guilty to third-degree theft of movable property before state Superior Court Judge Richard W. English, who sentenced Grunbaum last week.

An investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office determined that Grunbaum, owner of his now-defunct business, Shore GC Group, L.L.C., entered into a contract with the victim in January 2018, according to the statement.

The contract specified that Grunbaum was to build a single-family home on a piece of property the victim owned in Ocean Township in Monmouth County. The contract required that payments made to Grunbaum were only to be used in connection with the victim’s project, the statement said.

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Grunbaum, however, used the $65,000 for personal expenses and to fund other projects for his own gain, while abandoning the victim’s construction site, the statement said.

After the victim terminated the contract and hired another builder, Grunbaum refused to refund the victim’s money. The victim eventually reported the theft to the Prosecutor’s Office and an investigation was opened, according to the statement.

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The investigation included a review of Grunbaum's bank records, as well as interviews with subcontractors and suppliers. Those interviews and records revealed that the victim’s money was never used for its intended purpose but was used to benefit Grunbaum, the statement said.

The case was handled by Assistant Prosecutor Diane Aifer.

Grunbaum was represented by Michael V. Gilberti in Red Bank.

Contact Asbury Park Press reporter Erik Larsen at elarsen@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Monmouth Beach NJ contractor gets probation for Ocean Township theft