A former payroll manager at the Brooklyn Museum pleaded guilty yesterday to embezzling $620,000 by cutting paychecks to phony staff.
Dwight Newton, 40, admitted committing wire fraud by creating phantom workers and wiring money directly into the joint bank account that he shared with his wife.
“I transferred money that was not entitled to me,” Newton told the judge.
To make restitution, Newton will be forced to forfeit $77,000 immediately, sell his Barbados timeshare, and liquidate his pension with the museum.
Newton faces more than five years in jail when he’s sentenced.
According to the charges, Newton created three fictitious employees, “Brooklyn,” “Brooklyn Museum” and “ZXY,” to direct-deposit 38 checks into his personal account between April 2005 and July 2008.