Nicholas M. Scarano
Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 23-year-old NICHOLAS M. SCARANO of Montclair, NJ, on charges of bias intimidation, terroristic threats, false public alarm, and unlawful computer activity. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck, and the Fort Lee Police Department, under the direction of Chief Matthew J. Hintze.
On Thursday, August 14, 2025, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit was notified by the Fort Lee Police Department of a mass email containing bias and threatening language that was sent to 411 residents at the Atrium Palace condominium complex in Fort Lee, NJ during the overnight hours. Accordingly, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit alerted the Bias Crimes Unit and initiated a joint investigation with the Fort Lee Police Department into the activity. Preliminary investigation revealed that two email messages, each containing explicit language targeting Jewish and African American people, were sent by an unknown user who unlawfully accessed the online building management and communication system. In coordination with the Fort Lee Police Department and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Bias Crimes Unit, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit traced the online activity to an internet connection belonging to NICHOLAS M. SCARANO in Montclair, NJ.
On Friday, August 15, 2025, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit located NICHOLAS M. SCARANO and executed a court-authorized search warrant at his residence. The investigation ultimately revealed that SCARANO utilized two different electronic devices to unlawfully access the online building management and communication system and send the bias, threatening messages.
As a result of the investigation, on Friday, August 15, 2025, NICHOLAS M. SCARANO was charged with second-degree bias intimidation, N.J.S.A. 2C: 16-1a(2); third-degree terroristic threats, N.J.S.A. 2C:12-3(a); third-degree false public alarm, N.J.S.A. 2C:33-3a(1)(a); and third-degree computer criminal activity, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-25(a). SCARANO was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending a first appearance in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack, NJ.
Prosecutor Mark Musella states that the charges are merely accusations, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutor Musella thanks the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office for their coordination in this case. Furthermore, Prosecutor Musella thanks and recognizes the Fort Lee Police Department for their assistance with this investigation. Moreover, he thanks the Millburn Police Department and Montclair Police Department for their efforts leading to the apprehension of the defendant. Finally, Prosecutor Musella thanks the Paramus Police Department and Washington Township Police Department, which both participate in the Bergen County Cyber Crimes Task Force.