When people think of New Jersey, “old-world” is not often the first phrase that comes to mind.

The term generally refers to a simpler, quaint lifestyle of previous centuries. For the most densely populated state in the country that is frequently associated — fairly or unfairly — with heavy traffic on busy highways, simple and quaint are usually foreign concepts.

But not all areas of New Jersey have the same makeup, as WorldAtlas.com noted in its recent list of “old-world” towns. The travel website compiled a group of eight municipalities in the Garden State described as “the living, breathing centers of America’s vibrant history,” from Revolutionary War battlegrounds to Victorian resorts along the Jersey Shore.

“Perfect for history enthusiasts and families alike,” the site stated, “these towns provide a tranquil yet enlightening retreat from the usual hustle of the Northeast’s major cities.”

Here is the WorldAtlas.com list of eight old-world towns in New Jersey, the perfect day trip destinations for local residents seeking a glimpse into times gone by.

Old-world towns in NJ (per WorldAtlas)

• Cape May: The seaside resort at the bottom tip of New Jersey boasts a layout that encourages walking, whether along the beach or the streets lined with shops and restaurants. Attractions include the Cape May Lighthouse, the World War II Lookout Tower and the Harriet Tubman Museum.
• Lambertville: The Hunterdon County spot known as “The Antiques Capital of New Jersey” features several relics of bygone eras, including a hand-dug canal, train depot, and historic homes and townhouses.
• Clinton: Another Hunterdon County locale, this town is best known for its Red Mill which now operates as a museum. Clinton’s colorful storefronts and a waterfall along the Raritan River offer beautiful views for visitors.
• Haddonfield: The Camden County borough is home to Kings Highway, named by USA TODAY as one of the top 10 main streets in the country earlier this year. It also hosts a variety of cultural and community events, including the Haddonfield Crafts and Fine Art Festival each July.
• Ocean Grove: Visitors to this Monmouth County resort town can check out the beach and boardwalk areas as well as Tent City, a collection of tent homes that date back to the town’s founding in 1869.
• Allentown: The Monmouth County borough is home to Conines Millpond, a setting featuring an 1855 mill that represents its agrarian roots. There are more than 200 homes in Allentown that are on the state and national historic registries.
• Smithville: A timely addition to the list, the Atlantic County community located within Galloway Township transforms into a winter wonderland with music, lights and seasonal treats each holiday season.
• Medford: Located in Burlington County, this township’s historic architecture and preservation of its past contributed to a population growth in the most recent census in 2020.

3-minute read

A Bergen County man and his New York business associate are facing a civil enforcement action filed by the New Jersey Bureau of Securities with the Division of Consumer Affairs for defrauding at least one New Jersey investor in an investment scheme tied to a job recruiting software service that they were allegedly trying to grow, according to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General.

Michael Lakshin. of Fair Lawn, and Edward Aizman. of Brooklyn, as well as their company Bowmo, Inc. used “fraud and deception,” allegedly convincing one of Lakshin’s childhood friends to liquidate her retirement fund and invest in their start-up business venture, according to a civil complaint filed in Bergen County on Friday. They then allegedly diverted most of the funds for their own personal use including cash advances, hotel stays and purchases at car dealerships and designer stores among other expenditures.

“The defendants in this case shamelessly bankrolled their lavish lifestyles with someone else’s hard-earned retirement savings,” said Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin. “The lawsuit announced today sends a clear message that this kind of blatant exploitation of investors will not go unpunished in New Jersey.”

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The complaint alleges, according to the Office of the Attorney General, that from April through August 2020, Lakshin, Aizman and Bowmo (through Lakshin and Aizman), offered and sold at least $84,681.19 of Bowmo’s securities in the form of a convertible note to at least one NJ investor.

They told the investor that the Bowmo note was an investment opportunity which would provide her a “significantly higher return” than her retirement savings. They allegedly told her that Bowmo was successful, bringing in a lot of money through its success and that she could profit by investing her funds into the company.

Lakshin also allegedly leveraged their childhood connection to convince her to invest. After learning about the investor’s retirement account, Lakshin allegedly pressured her to liquidate the account for the purpose of buying the Bowmo note.

Lakshin assured the investor that she would “realistically” be able to earn “A MUCH GREATER return,” through a series of text messages, falsely informed the investor that she should not have any taxes or penalties withheld when withdrawing funds from her account, and assured her that Bowmo would reimburse her for any taxes or penalties that would have to be paid as a result of the liquidation.

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On June 25, 2020, the investor liquidated her retirement account. This liquidation included two charges and exposed her to paying taxes on the funds as she was not “rolling them over to another qualified retirement plan,” according to the Office of the Attorney General .

On July 2, 2020, the investor met with Lakshin and Aizman and signed a Bowmo subscription agreement. She wired $84,681.19 from her bank account to a Bowmo bank account controlled by Lakshin and Aizman later that month.

A Bowmo investor package provided to the investor prior to investing said that funds would be used to further develop Bowmo’s software, expand its marketing business, and make strategic hires among other business-related ventures.

Instead, the defendants allegedly transferred the funds to bank accounts held by a seperate and unrelated entity and misused the funds by diverting them for personal and non-business-related purposes.

The lawsuit seeks a court order to permanently ban Bowmo, its president and chairman Lakshin, and its founder and CEO Aizman, from issuing, offering, or selling securities in New Jersey, according to the Office of the Attorney General. It also asks the court to assess civil monetary penalties, restitution plus interest and expenses for the victim, and disgorgement of all funds and profits gained from the scheme.

According to Bureau Chief Elizabeth M. Harris, this case “serves as a sobering example of why it’s vitally important to investigate investment products, even those offered by someone you know and trust.”

She continued, “It’s also an opportunity to remind our residents that while fraudulent investment schemes come in a variety of forms, the pressure to act fast to avoid missing out on a hot investment is a universal red flag of fraud that should not be ignored. In addition to doing their due diligence before investing, we urge New Jerseyans to follow their instincts when a transaction doesn’t pass the smell test.”

Investors can obtain information about any financial professional doing business to or from New Jersey by visiting the Bureau’s website at www.NJSecurities.gov, or calling the Bureau within New Jersey at 1-866-446-8378 or from outside New Jersey at 973-504-3600.