Wayne County records show Lake Ariel woman paid $1,188.50 in traffic fines over 11 months — during the same period police say she stole more than $25,000
LAKE ARIEL, WAYNE COUNTY — The former Vinny’s Original Brooklyn Bagels manager accused of embezzling more than $25,000 was making monthly court payments on traffic fines during the exact same period Pennsylvania State Police say she was skimming cash from registers, court records show.
Jennifer M. Villani, 45, of Lake Ariel, has four prior theft convictions in Monroe and Lehigh counties and still owes more than $2,100 in unpaid fines from those cases. But she found the money to pay off a separate debt in Wayne County: $1,188.50 in traffic violations, paid in 11 installments between November 2024 and October 2025.
Her final payment — $113.50 — posted on Oct. 27, 2025. That’s the same day Trooper Kelly L. Todd of PSP Honesdale filed the felony theft charge against her.
Wayne County Payment History
Trooper John E. Bogarowski stopped Villani in Salem Township on Dec. 21, 2023, and cited her for driving with a suspended registration, driving without a license, failure to notify change of address, and disregarding a traffic lane. She pled guilty on Sept. 17, 2024. At a payment determination hearing on Nov. 18, 2024, Magisterial District Judge Bonnie L. Carney found Villani unable to pay and placed her on a monthly plan.
Court records show every payment:
| Date | Amount | Payor |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 18, 2024 | $100.00 | Richard H. |
| Feb. 13, 2025 | $150.00 | Villani |
| March 17, 2025 | $100.00 | Villani |
| April 16, 2025 | $100.00 | Villani |
| May 22, 2025 | $100.00 | Villani |
| June 25, 2025 | $125.00 | Villani |
| July 14, 2025 | $75.00 | Villani |
| July 14, 2025 | $75.00 | Villani |
| Aug. 29, 2025 | $150.00 | Villani |
| Oct. 1, 2025 | $100.00 | Villani |
| Oct. 27, 2025 | $113.50 | Villani |
Someone named Richard Hobencamp made the first payment on Villani’s behalf. Court records don’t indicate his relationship to the defendant.
According to the criminal complaint, Villani allegedly opened the register without logging a sale more than 3,400 times between January and September 2025. Deleted transactions totaled $25,236.48. Owner Vincent Nicoletti believes the actual loss could reach $50,000.
Court Status
Villani’s preliminary hearing has been continued twice — first on Nov. 26, 2025, at her own request, and again on Dec. 22, 2025, after Public Defender Debra Domenick filed for more time. No new date has been scheduled.
She remains free on $25,000 unsecured bail. If convicted of theft by unlawful taking, a third-degree felony, she faces up to seven years in state prison.
Case Reference
Theft Case:
- Docket: MJ-22302-CR-0000162-2025
- Defendant: Jennifer M. Villani, 45, of Lake Ariel
- Charge: Theft by Unlawful Taking – Movable Property (F3)
- Arresting Officer: Trooper Kelly L. Todd, PSP Honesdale
- File Date: Oct. 27, 2025
- Bail: $25,000 unsecured (posted)
- MDJ: Magisterial District Judge Bonnie L. Carney
- Defense: Debra Domenick, Wayne County Public Defender
- Prosecuting: Wayne County District Attorney’s Office
Traffic Cases (closed, paid in full):
- MJ-22301-TR-0001667-2023: Suspended registration — $598.25
- MJ-22301-TR-0001666-2023: Driving without license — $298.25
- MJ-22301-TR-0001664-2023: Failure to notify address change — $123.25
- Arresting Officer: Trooper John E. Bogarowski, PSP Honesdale
- Offense Date: Dec. 21, 2023
- Disposition: Guilty plea, Sept. 17, 2024
- Total Paid: $1,188.50 (Nov. 18, 2024 – Oct. 27, 2025)
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Pocono Review Coverage
- Wayne County Bagel Shop Theft Suspect’s Hearing Delayed; Court Records Reveal Prior Conviction (Dec. 6, 2025)
- Vinny’s Bagels Theft Suspect’s Hearing Postponed Again; Villani Has Four Prior Theft Convictions in Monroe and Lehigh (Dec. 24, 2025)