Egg Harbor Man Admits Faking Disappearance To Avoid Fraud Charges

ATLANTIC COUNTY, NJ — An Egg Harbor Township man and professional power boat racer pleaded guilty to sending a false distress call to the U.S. Coast Guard and filing fraudulent loan documents, acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said Wednesday.

Andrew Biddle, 51, was charged with bank fraud and of causing the U.S. Coast Guard to render unnecessary aid after he faked his disappearance to evade authorities for filing fraudulent loan documents.

According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court, Biddle submitted documents to secure a loan for $55,000 from Southeast Financial Credit Union on June 25, 2014. Biddle listed a boat as collateral for the loan and provided a fraudulent appraisal document for it.

Biddle also submitted documents that falsely listed his gross earnings as the owner of a boat company and a fraudulent income tax return. The credit union funded the loan and deposited $55,000 into Biddle’s account, according to court documents.

Between February 2014 and July 2014, the Egg Harbor Township Police Department filed theft charges against Biddle.

Biddle admitted that he and a passenger took a boat out of Seavillage Marina in Northfield and traveled across Great Egg Harbor Inlet to a restaurant in Somers Point on July, 20, 2014, Honig said in a news release. Biddle and the passenger finalized a scheme to fake Biddle’s disappearance that night.

They traveled back to the marina by boat after dinner. The passenger dropped Biddle off between two piers so that he could be picked up by another individual and driven out of the area, Honig said.

The passenger then continued back to Seaville Marina and he intentionally hit a navigational marker in Great Egg Harbor Inlet near Longport, causing the passenger to be ejected from the boat, Honig said.

The U.S. Coast Guard, State Police and local agencies responded to the area to search for Biddle using vessels and helicopters for two days. Biddle admitted that he was in Florida while the Coast Guard was searching for him, Honig said.

He turned himself in to Atlantic County authorities on Feb. 12, 2015.

The count of bank fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The false distress call to the U.S. Coast Guard carries a maximum potential penalty of six years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 18, 2021.

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