Racist hacker from Montclair infiltrated NJ luxury condo tower, cops say

A young man from Montclair has been accused of hacking email communications at a luxury condo complex in Bergen County, targeting residents who are Jewish or Black with biased, hateful and threatening messages.

Nicholas M. Scarano has been charged with second-degree bias intimidation, as well as third-degree counts of terroristic threats, false public alarm, and computer criminal activity.

Fort Lee police and the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office responded last week to a mass email that had been sent overnight on Thursday, Aug. 14.

The messages were received by 411 residents at the Atrium Palace condo complex in Fort Lee.

Two email templates contained biased and threatening language, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.

Montclair man arrested for hacking NJ condo emails from his home

Fort Lee Police and detectives from the bias crimes and cyber crimes units of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office traced the online activity to an internet connection belonging to the 23-year-old Scarano.

On Friday, Aug. 15, officers searched Scarano’s Montclair residence, recovering one or more cellphones, a laptop, and USB drives.

Scarano used two electronic devices to hack into the online building management and communication system and send the threatening messages, investigators said.

Read More: Mount Laurel locals challenge police response to racial harassment

That same day, Scarano was arrested and taken to Bergen County Jail, pending a first appearance in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack.

Atrium Palace Condominiums is a 19-story high-rise on Palisade Avenue in Fort Lee.

The building has fewer than 300  one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom luxury units.

Many of the condos have stunning views of the Hudson River and the Manhattan skyline. A three-bedroom unit listed for sale is priced at $1.85 million.

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