A veteran middle school teacher in New Jersey has been terminated from her position following her arrest in connection with an alleged prostitution-related robbery at an Atlantic City casino hotel. Amanda Crafts, 35, a computer teacher at Middle Township Middle School, faces allegations that she served as the physical enforcer during a scheme to siphon funds from a man’s bank account using his smartphone’s facial recognition technology.
According to criminal complaints filed regarding the October 9 incident, the encounter began when the victim met Crafts and 23-year-old Veda Engel at a bar inside Caesars Atlantic City. After exchanging phone numbers, Engel later contacted the man and invited him to a room at Harrah’s Resort. The victim told authorities that after he arrived and undressed, the situation turned into a physical shakedown.
The complaint alleges that Crafts, who is described in police records as weighing 180 pounds, used her weight to pin the nude victim to the bed. While he was restrained, Engel allegedly held the man’s iPhone to his face to bypass the security lock via facial recognition. Once the phone was unlocked, the pair reportedly initiated four separate ApplePay transfers totaling $1,250. The victim told investigators that Engel abruptly ended the sexual encounter after the transfers, stating, “That’s what you get for your $1,250.”
Crafts, a mother of four who had taught in the Middle Township district since 2016, has denied the allegations through her legal counsel. Her attorney, Charles Peruto Jr., described the incident as a significant misunderstanding, claiming his client was at the hotel “strictly to party” and had no knowledge that Engel was allegedly engaged in prostitution. Peruto argued that Crafts never touched the man and was attempting to leave the room when the dispute over money began.
According to the defense’s version of events, the victim contacted the police because he was frustrated that the paid session ended earlier than he expected. Peruto claimed the man became upset because he had paid for an hour of service but the encounter concluded prematurely. “Maybe the prostitute took advantage of him, but my client had nothing to do with it,” Peruto stated, adding that Crafts is “mortified” by the situation.
Records indicate that Engel has a prior history with local law enforcement, including a prostitution charge in December 2025 involving an undercover New Jersey State Police detective at a luxury resort. Following this latest incident, both Crafts and Engel were detained at the Atlantic County Justice Facility for six days before being released on October 15.
The Middle Township School District took swift action following the arrests. In a letter sent to families and staff on October 19, school officials confirmed that Crafts was no longer employed by the district. The district did not provide further comment on the personnel matter, citing the ongoing nature of the legal proceedings.
