TOMS RIVER – The New Jersey State Comptroller’s Office on Tuesday night held an event on a controversial program that will allow Lakewood residents who knowingly defrauded Medicaid to avoid criminal charges, provided they pay back benefits and restitution.

The event which introduced the “Ocean County Recipient Voluntary Disclosure Program” was officially closed to members of the media and press, with the following sign greeting attendees at the door:

Despite the prohibition, an Ocean County Politics source recorded audio of the event and provided us with the following photos:

The program was introduced following recent arrests by federal and local law enforcement in Lakewood following an investigation into benefits fraud in the township.

New Jersey State Comptroller Philip James Degnan took questions from the small amount of attendees at the Tuesday evening event. Most of the speakers echoed the sentiment expressed by online commenters and were highly critical of the program.

Listen to 36 minutes of audio from the event above.