Ex-Sussex Commissioner rejects plea in stolen valor tax fraud case
By William Westhoven
Published on April 20, 2026.
Former Sussex County Commissioner William Hayden has rejected a state plea offer in relation to tax fraud charges brought by the New Jersey Attorney General's Office. Hayden, who allegedly pretended to be a wounded veteran of the Navy Seals during his 2022 election campaign, is accused of improperly claiming a veteran's benefit on a state tax return he filed with his wife for 2019. The state set a June 1 deadline for Hayden to respond to these charges. Hayden's wife has not been charged in the case. The felony charge carries a maximum penalty of three to five years in state prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
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