Scumbag Jason Samaritano Arrested Again in New Jersey

Serial Criminal and Online Menace Hits New Low, Harasses Family Court Advocates While Posing as One

By Rick LaRivière

Career Criminal Busted Again in Jersey

Jason “Jay” Samaritano is back in handcuffs – again. The self-proclaimed family court “advocate” was recently arrested in New Jersey, adding yet another entry to his mile-long rap sheet. Court records show Samaritano pleaded guilty late last year to multiple felonies – theft by deception, fraudulent handling of funds, and stalking.

A New Jersey judge, exasperated by his record of 25 prior arrests and eight convictions, warned in May that Samaritano is a “repetitive offender” who is “highly likely to reoffend.”

It appears that the warning went unheeded.

The Ocean County con man – whose rap sheet spans everything from fraud schemes to criminal trespass – has lived up to his notoriety as a serial menace. Prosecutors note he’s even violated probation before.

He literally has a Rap Sheet a mile long:

“The defendant…is in need of specific deterrence,” Judge Cristen D’Arrigo wrote in a scathing sentencing memo, calling this Samaritano’s “last chance” to stay out of jail.

But barely six months later, the “last chance” is blown. Samaritano was busted yet again, reportedly for flouting the law and harassing people he claims to help.

The Toms River grifter has proven incapable of staying on the straight and narrow, cementing his status as one of New Jersey’s most shameless repeat offenders.

Scumbag Jason Samaritano Arrested: Fraudster Poses as Advocate, Terrorizes Real Watchdogs

Donning the mask of a “family court advocate,” Jason Samaritano has been waging an unhinged online crusade against actual watchdogs in the community. Over just a few months, he blasted out 180 Facebook posts in 106 days – many on a page brazenly titled “Exposing Fraudulent People.”

In reality, Samaritano was projecting his own fraud. His posts attack legitimate activists with vicious name-calling and wild allegations, while he’s been in and out of jail more often than he’s been sober, stable, or employed.

He routinely smeared one victims’ advocate, Dave Weigel of the Family Court Fraud Warrior Project, as a “fraud,” “stalker,” and “abusive lowlife,” repeating these slurs dozens of times across his rants.

In one May 6 post, Samaritano crowed: “Dave the stalker Weigel just got caught lying to Toms River Police… victims get your proof ready because Dave is definitely going to jail.”

He urged his followers to “stay tuned” for an arrest that never came.

In a bizarre post, Samaratino claimed – without evidence – that Weigel made an “offer of money” to his wife, Erin Samaratino.

“I emphatically deny everything Jason and Erin Samaritano claim. The man is a career criminal and his wife is roped in, maybe by Munchausen’s by proxy, maybe by choice,” Weigel said. “Society needs protection from both of them.”

Samaritano even accused New Jersey law enforcement of conspiring with Weigel – claiming, without evidence, that an Ocean County prosecutor and Toms River police officers were “colluding” against him.

This felon-turned-online troll has effectively appointed himself judge and jury on Facebook, posing as a savior of court victims while viciously terrorizing the very advocates who actually help those victims. His shameless posts grew more deranged by the day – at one point, he boasted he would “single-handedly destroy Dave Weigel” and even published Weigel’s home address to intimidate him.

The behavior is that of a cyberbully with a vendetta, not that of any legitimate crusader.

Samaritano’s social media presence has exposed him as a fraudulent vigilante – a man playing hero while acting like a violent thug online.

Scumbag Jason Samaritano Arrested: Victims Fight Back Against Harassment and Threats

Targets of Samaritano’s abuse are speaking out – and fighting back.

“For all other victims of this career criminal and fraudster – please have your local police reference complaint number 25-21561,” advocate Dave Weigel announced in a public service post, urging anyone harassed by Samaritano to contact law enforcement.

Weigel, a prominent family court watchdog and reformer, has endured a barrage of threats and defamation from Samaritano. The bully’s obsession with Weigel has grown so extreme that Samaritano absurdly claims he’s the victim – all while stalking Weigel’s family.

At one point, Samaritano drove past Weigel’s home and then warned online that it was “time to put Dave Weigel in jail.”

But Weigel isn’t backing down, and neither are others in Samaritano’s crosshairs. Activist and investigative journalist Maryann Petri, whom Samaritano derided as “a fraud”, says his baseless attacks won’t silence her advocacy. Another victim, Kristin Vermeulen, was stunned when Samaritano splashed photos of her minor children on Facebook in a creepy intimidation attempt.

“This crosses every line,” Vermeulen said, describing the harassment as “terrorizing to my family.” (Vermeulen’s remarks were provided via a colleague, as she declined direct comment.)

Even outside the advocacy sphere, Samaritano’s threats have extended to officials: he went so far as to post the home addresses of judges and prosecutors with an ominous promise of “MORE TO COME”law.justia.com.

Now, his multitude of victims – from grassroots advocates to public servants – are uniting in calling for justice. They’re exposing Jason Samaritano for what he truly is: not a champion of the people, but a cowardly tormentor finally being unmasked.

Scumbag Jason Samaritano Arrested: Probation on the Brink as Husband-Wife Duo Reoffend

Law enforcement officials say the Samaritano crime spree shows no signs of stopping – and it’s now a family affair. Jason’s wife, Erin Samaritano, proudly aids and abets his schemes, making her own hateful posts and even encouraging people to file bogus complaints against their critics.

In one instance, Erin urged followers to spam the New York Attorney General with reports against Dave Weigel – an abuse of public resources that had zero basis in fact.

This husband-and-wife duo of deceit has earned a notorious reputation. Both are repeat offenders: Erin faces scrutiny for her role in the harassment campaigns, and Jason is already on thin ice with probation.

After Jason’s guilty plea last year, he avoided prison by the skin of his teeth, getting a three-year probationary sentence in May 2024. But with his latest arrest, authorities confirm he has violated probation yet again.

A court hearing on his probation status and new charges is anticipated in the coming weeks (he previously had a restitution hearing set for June 27, 2025, related to his fraud cases). The legal noose is tightening.

“The aggravating factors substantially outweigh the mitigating,” Judge D’Arrigo noted of Samaritano’s case, emphasizing his long history of fraud and flagrant disregard for the law.

Investigators are now building on complaints like Weigel’s to ensure Samaritano faces full consequences. After 25+ arrests and countless second chances, this toxic tag-team may finally be running out of rope.

Samaritano strutted around as a self-appointed avenger, but now finds himself ensnared by his own wrongdoing. If past is prologue, New Jersey’s most shameless pretender could soon be trading his Facebook rants for a prison cell – a fate that many say is long overdue.