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.