Department of Children and Families Employee Accepted Payments to Share Confidential Case Info

Susaida Nazario of Trenton allegedly posed as fictitious coworkers and accepted money to assist individuals involved in child welfare cases.

TRENTON, N.J. — A suspended employee of the New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF) has been charged with multiple offenses after allegedly accepting payments in exchange for confidential information and deceptive assistance in ongoing DCF cases, according to an announcement from Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Office of Public Integrity & Accountability (OPIA).

Susaida Nazario, 44, of Trenton, was charged by complaint on March 25, 2025, with five criminal counts stemming from a corruption investigation conducted by OPIA’s Corruption Bureau. The charges include:

• Acceptance or Receipt of an Unlawful Benefit by a Public Servant for Official Behavior (2nd degree)

• Theft by Deception (3rd degree)

• Official Misconduct (two counts, 2nd degree)

• Pattern of Official Misconduct (2nd degree)

“This case underscores our commitment to ensuring there is accountability when public employees violate their duty and the public’s trust,” said Attorney General Platkin. “As alleged, this defendant used her position and access to DCF records in order to obtain and divulge confidential information for her own financial benefit.”

Nazario, who worked as a technical assistant in the DCF Information Technology Division in Trenton from January 2021 through October 2023, is accused of soliciting and receiving payments from two individuals with open cases in the Division of Child Protection & Permanency. In return, she allegedly provided unauthorized access to sensitive case file information and misrepresented her authority.

According to investigators, beginning in March 2021, Nazario accepted more than $800 from one individual in exchange for assistance with their case. She falsely claimed to be a DCF caseworker and promised to connect the individual with additional employees who could help—individuals who were, in fact, fictitious identities she created. Nazario allegedly used multiple phone numbers to impersonate these fictional coworkers through text and voice communications.

In a second instance, Nazario is accused of developing a personal relationship with another individual involved in a DCF matter. Investigators allege she accepted money and property from this individual, offered assurances of a favorable outcome in the case, and disclosed confidential DCF case information.

The charges are based on a pattern of deception and abuse of official position, with potential penalties including five to ten years in state prison and fines of up to $150,000 for each second-degree charge. Third-degree charges carry penalties of three to five years in prison and fines up to $15,000.

“As alleged, the defendant took advantage of her access to confidential information for personal profit,” said Drew Skinner, Executive Director of OPIA. “Anyone who seeks to illegally profit from their State job should know they will be held to account.”

The prosecution is being led by Deputy Attorneys General Laura Croce and Diana Bibb, under the supervision of Corruption Bureau Co-Directors Jeff Manis and Eric Gibson, and OPIA Director Thomas Eicher.

All charges remain accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.