A former New Jersey assemblyman who left office when he was caught embezzling funds from his family’s charity but continued to be a key player in the local Portuguese community died in a car crash Sunday morning.
Albert Coutinho, 56, was involved in a two-car collision on McCarter Highway in Newark around 7:30 a.m. Sunday. Coutinho survived the initial crash but suffered a fatal heart attack on the scene, NJ.com reported.
Coutinho, a Democrat, was a beloved figure in the Garden State’s Portuguese community and one of the Newark Portugal Day Festival’s key organizers.
He served just over five years in the New Jersey State Assembly.
He withdrew his bid for reelection in 2013 when authorities discovered he had bilked $32,500 from the Bernardino Coutinho Foundation. He also cited a recent heart attack as part of his reason for resigning, NJ.com reported.
The Coutinho family’s charity, named after their patriarch, has organized the city’s Portugal Day Festival since it began in 1980.
Coutinho accepted a plea deal for three years’ probation that included a stipulation barring him from holding elected office ever again, the outlet reported.
He was pardoned by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy in early 2026.
Outside of office, Coutinho worked for his family’s bakery. After leaving the state assembly, he co-founded and chaired the Ironbound Soccer Club, and was inducted into the New Jersey Soccer Association Hall of Fame in 2021.
The club celebrated Coutinho’s dedication to all, ranging from his athletes to his former constituents.
“He always stood up for the underdog and consistently uplifted those around him. His legacy will endure in every player, coach, and supporter who wears our shield with pride. He will never be forgotten,” the club wrote on Facebook.
Above all else, Coutinho relished the time he spent with his family. He and his youngest brother, Billy, could often be found cheering on the New Jersey Cosmos — so much so that they were occasionally invited to VIP events.
Murphy highlighted Coutinho’s passion for watching and helping “The Beautiful Game” grow, noting his excitement during the FIFA Club World Cup Final last summer.
“Al was an extraordinary person whose generosity, kindness, and commitment to others left a lasting impact on everyone who knew him,” Murphy wrote.
“He was as good a guy as you could imagine and our prayers are with his loved ones and all who were fortunate enough to know him,” he added.
New Jersey Sen. Declan O’Scanlon, who served in the state assembly with Coutinho, simply wrote that, “The people of New Jersey lost when he left the legislature. The world has lost now that he’s left it.”
In one Facebook post shared in October, Coutinho sagely reflected on the “second half of life on this earth.”
“I have learned that dying is inevitable. No one can stop it. We have one life to live. The material things we invest in are left behind. Memories, therefore, are important,” he wrote.
The crash is still under investigation.
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