A former New Jersey middle school teacher accused of helping restrain a naked man while another woman allegedly transferred $1,250 from his Apple Pay account insists she was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Amanda Crafts, 35, who previously taught computer classes at Middle Township Middle School in Cape May County, was arrested alongside Veda Engel, 23, in connection with an alleged prostitution-related scheme at an Atlantic City casino hotel. Crafts denies participating in the alleged theft and maintains that she had no idea Engel was supposedly arranging a sexual encounter in exchange for money.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by the New York Post, the incident began on October 9, when the two women allegedly met an unidentified man at the bar inside Caesars Atlantic City.
The man reportedly exchanged phone numbers with Engel, who later contacted him and invited him to a room at Harrah’s Resort.
What allegedly happened next became the basis of the criminal case against both women.
Amanda Crafts, 35, is facing two charges in connection to an alleged prostitution scam in Atlantic City and resigned from her job as a middle school teacher.New Jersey Courts
Man Claims Women Took $1,250 From His Apple Pay Account
According to the complaint, the man told police that he arrived at the hotel room and was stripped naked by the two women. He alleged that Crafts held him down while Engel performed a sexual act.
The encounter allegedly came to an abrupt end when Engel told him, “That’s what you get for your $1,250,” according to a report by Breaking AC.
The man further alleged that Crafts continued restraining him while Engel used his iPhone’s facial-recognition feature to unlock the device. She then allegedly accessed Apple Pay and made four separate transfers to her own account, totaling $1,250.
The allegations suggest the victim’s phone was used to access his payment account while he was being restrained. However, Crafts’ attorney has strongly disputed the claim that his client played any role in the alleged theft.
Crafts allegedly used all of her 180-pounds to hold down the naked victim as Engels sent herself four Apple Pay transfer worth $1,250 total.
The case took a different turn when the two women appeared before Judge Timothy Maguire in a video hearing on October 10.
“I’ve never been to jail,” Crafts told the judge, according to Breaking AC.
She also insisted that she had never been arrested before and maintained that her presence at the hotel room was an unfortunate coincidence.
“I’ve never been arrested before. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” she said.
Teacher’s Lawyer Insists She Knew Nothing About Alleged Scheme
Veda Engel, 23, allegedly offered an unidentified victim oral sex in exchange for money after meeting him at the bar
at Caesars in Atlantic City.New Jersey Courts
Crafts’ attorney, Charles Peruto Jr., has rejected the allegation that his client helped restrain the man or knowingly participated in a prostitution-related arrangement.
According to Peruto, Crafts met Engel and the unidentified man at Caesars Atlantic City that evening. She believed the group was heading to a hotel room at Harrah’s Resort simply to continue partying.
The attorney said Crafts was unaware that Engel might have been arranging a sexual encounter for payment and did not understand what was allegedly taking place.
“Amanda Crafts is highly intelligent and wouldn’t participate in anything like that. She was in the room and wanted to leave and didn’t even realize it was a prostitution thing,” Peruto told the New York Post.
He added that his client was deeply embarrassed by the allegations.
“She is mortified.”
Middle Township Middle School announced on Monday that Crafts was no longer employed by the school district.Google
Peruto also offered an alternative explanation for why the man contacted police. He claimed the man had prematurely ejaculated and became upset when Engel ended the encounter before the hour he believed he had paid for was over.
“Maybe the prostitute took advantage of him but my client had nothing to do with it,” the attorney said.
These statements represent the defense’s account of the incident, while the allegations against Crafts and Engel remain the basis of the criminal proceedings described in the report.
Engel Had Previously Faced a Prostitution Charge
Engel was also reported to have faced an earlier prostitution charge stemming from an incident in December 2025.
According to Breaking AC, she was accused of offering sex in exchange for $1,000 to an undercover New Jersey State Police detective at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City.
She was ordered to pay a summons in connection with that charge.
Following their arrests in the October incident, Crafts and Engel were held at the Atlantic County Justice Facility for six days before being released on October 15, according to state records.
School District Confirms Crafts Is No Longer Employed
The allegations also brought an abrupt end to Crafts’ employment at Middle Township Middle School, where she had worked as a computer teacher since 2016, according to her LinkedIn profile.
On October 19, the school district informed families and staff that Crafts was no longer employed by the district.
In a letter addressing the situation, Superintendent Stephanie DeRose emphasized the district’s commitment to protecting students.
“The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority,” DeRose wrote.
The announcement confirmed Crafts’ departure from the school but did not, in the quoted statement, provide further details about the circumstances surrounding her employment status.
For Crafts, the case now involves both the criminal allegations and the professional consequences that followed her arrest. While prosecutors’ allegations describe a coordinated scheme involving an alleged sexual encounter and unauthorized transfers, her attorney maintains that she was merely present and had no knowledge of any plan to steal money.
The central question remains whether investigators can establish the extent of each woman’s alleged involvement in the incident at the Atlantic City casino hotel.