New Hope files charges against alleged "flim flam" artist Nydia Neubauer (aka Lucy George); says her Bucks County activities reach back to 1970s

Nydia Neubauer, aka Nydia Vega Reeves, Lucy George, Nydia Luz Vega

By Charlie Sahner

New Hope police today filed charges against Nydia Neubauer (aka Lucy George, aka Nydia Vega Reeves) alleging felony crimes of theft by deception, receiving stolen property, identity theft, bad checks, forgery and criminal attempt.

Police say Neubauer "conducted a high end flim flam operation" in New Hope, including "the purchase of three properties, high end jewelry, and passing numerous checks on accounts for which she had no authority."

Two of the three properties are owned by area developer George Michael, and the third was purchased in Philadelphia through New Hope realtors, confirmed Corporal Matt Zimmerman of the New Hope Police Department.

Zimmerman also confirmed that the woman known as "Lucy George" in New Hope, the woman being held in a Monmouth County prison as "Nydia Neubauer", and the "Nydia Luz Vega" depicted in the passport photo (above) are one in the same.

Police estimate that total damages arising from her alleged fraudulent activity could reach $7.5 million, of which $250,000 was in the form of "bad checks."

Amazingly enough, New Hope police are also seeing signs of "old activity in Bucks County dating back to the 1970s."   They believe Peddler's Village may have been among Neubauer's targets back then.

Local police appear to have left no stone unturned in their efforts to build a strong case against Neubauer.

"We have worked very hard on following this case by the numbers to ensure a successful prosecution," explained Zimmerman.  "We intend to make whatever restitution is available to the victims."

Neubauer is currently being held in Monmouth County Correctional Institute in Freehold, N.J., and is expected to be extradited to New York next to face a larceny charge there.

Alleged New Hope Con Woman Lucy "Nydia Neubauer" George Was Arrested in Belmar for Bilking Big Restaurant One Block from Police Station

Passport photo of Nydia Luz Vega, aka Nydia Neubauer, Nydia Vega Reeves, Lucy George, etc.

By Charlie Sahner

Details continue to emerge that Nydia Neubauer (aka Lucy George, Nydia Luz Vega, Nydia Vega Reeves, Nina de Vega, Lucy Micheals George, etc.), returned to New Hope last spring after fleeing Manhattan, wrote bad checks while living in a $995,000 townhouse in local builder George Michael’s Canal Street development, and was arrested at the well-known Connolly Station Restaurant and Tavern at 711 Main Street in Belmar, N.J.

Records obtained from Belmar Police indicate that "on Aug. 19, Nydia Neubauer, 63, of New York, NY was arrested for providing false information, theft of services, fraudulent credit card use, issuing bad checks and being a fugitive from justice at 711 Main St." 

A photocopy of a passport belonging to a "Nydia Luz Vega" obtained by this reporter from an alleged victim in New York City lists her date of birth as "19 Jun 1947", the same birthday recorded by the Monmouth County Sheriff's office as that of the "Nydia Neubauer" they are holding.  Additionally, several local residents and jeweler/victim George Zykos have verified the passport photo of Nydia Luz Vega as being an image of the woman they knew as "Lucy George."

A time line of alleged swindling is gradually taking shape, and it appears to lead from New Hope (circa early 1980s) to Southampton, Long Island, on to New York City in 2002, where it disappears until 2009.  Following a New York Post article in April of this year, it appears that "Nydia Vega Reeves", as she was known in Manhattan, fled to New Hope in May.  Living in New Hope as "Lucy George", she seems to have left the borough in late June and landed at the Jersey Shore in July. 

Apparently, according to arrest records and victims, she had offered a bad credit card and rubber checks to staff at Connolly Station, a large Irish-themed restaurant formed by the combination of two smaller pubs.  The owners also operate Farrell's Stout and Steak in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J. and the Irish Rail in Manasquan, N.J.

Ultimately, the biggest mistake of Nydia's long career may be remembered as her not knowing that the Belmar Police station is located at 601 Main Street, one block away from Connolly Station.