Edison, NJ – In a powerful and deeply personal letter addressed to the residents of Edison Township, Ann Marie Pocklembo a veteran teacher of 32 years has come forward to share her story as a survivor of sexual assault, naming current Mayor Samip Joshi as her assailant. The letter details an incident that allegedly occurred in June 2020 and its profound, lasting impact on her life.
“Dear Fellow Residents,
My name is Ann Marie, and I am the survivor of sexual assault. This is my story.
In 2020, during the height of COVID-19, I, like many people, felt the effects of social isolation. During this time of vulnerability, I formed an online friendship with Mr. Samip Joshi. As Vice President of the Edison Council, I trusted him. He was an elected official who was supposedly guiding us with advice about how to navigate life during covid lockdown.
That May, Mr. Joshi invited me over to his home to “break the rules of social distancing and share a bottle of wine”. I initially turned him down, because the state was still in lockdown, as per Governor Murphy’s mandate. That June, when things started opening back up, I did agree to meet him at his home. I was served some mixed drinks, and became violently ill, to the point of being concerned for my life. There was no possibility of me driving myself home. Instead of being concerned for my health, Samip Joshi decided to take advantage of my vulnerable situation, and sexually assaulted me. Since then, I have lived with the emotional, psychological, and physical pain that resulted from it.
Many of you may have heard about this incident, or read the report from the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office that I subsequently filed. I will not get into the graphic details of the incident in this letter, but I will say that I was denied access to the final report from their office. I was also denied an OPRA request from Edison Township for an incident that occurred at my home afterwards, which I feel was retaliation for reporting my incident.
Since the sexual assault incident, I have watched Mr. Joshi go on to become Mayor of Edison Township, which also includes being director of public safety. I find this to be appalling and hypocritical. This elected official, who is supposed to be acting with maturity and good judgement, cannot be trusted with other people’s safety. I went to Mr. Joshi’s house that night in 2020, because I trusted him. I trusted his judgement, and I believed that, as an elected leader of the community, I would be safe in his presence.
I know my body, and I am well aware of what happened to me while I was in a vulnerable position that night. I was sexually assaulted. I sought to talk to him about it in a serious conversation, multiple times. I was looking for an explanation and an apology for his actions. I wanted him to admit that he disrespected me that night, and acted inappropriately. Despite having multiple conversations, that acknowledgement and apology from him never happened.
What was supposed to be a casual get together led to an incident that has negatively impacted my life over the last five years. In the immediate aftermath, I required a serious medical procedure, from which I still suffer from pain. In the long term, it has been hard for me to go to public events around town. I am active in volunteering with various community events, but I have turned down several invitations, knowing I would run into him.
I know many of you will question the timing of this letter. However, the purpose of my writing this letter to you is not political. Who you vote for is, of course, your decision. However, I believe it is important for you to know my story. I have heard many inaccurate rumors, and, as difficult as it is for me to come forward, I feel that it is necessary for residents to hear the story directly from me. Being that it is election time, as I drive around town, I see signs proclaiming “Women For Joshi”. I feel that this is a direct attempt to negate my story. To make it seem like my story did not happen, and that Mr. Joshi really does respect women. I can tell you that is not the case.
I do not wish Mr. Joshi or his family ill will. I was disappointed with his actions and very bad judgement in 2020, and saddened that he never apologized to me or gave me an explanation for what he did. I gave him an opportunity many times to do that, outside of the public eye, but he has refused to honestly address this issue with me or others who have questioned him. I also fear that my incident may not be an isolated one. I feel the need to speak out, lest there are others who have also been in a situation like mine.
Please consider me to be just like any other woman in your life – your mother, your spouse, your daughter. When you read about my story, I ask that you think of me in that light, and how you would feel if that happened to you or someone else close to you.
Very truly yours,
Ann Marie Pocklembo
5/26/25″
Former Councilwoman Joyce Ship-Freeman, a current candidate for council in Edison, has voiced her strong condemnation of Mayor Samip Joshi regarding the allegations made against him. Upon receiving the letter from Ann Marie Pocklembo detailing her experiences, Ship-Freeman declared, “My heart broke reading Ann Marie’s letter about her experience with Mayor Samip Joshi. No woman should go through the trauma she describes. I stand with her. As a Democrat who’s spent my life fighting for women, I’m disgusted.”
In January of 2025 Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone wrote the following letter to attorney Richard Flaum of the Difrancesco Bateman Law Firm after questions were raised in December 2024 regarding the investigation and her handling of the case.
“January 9, 2025
Richard P. Flaum, Esq. DIFRANCESCO BATEMAN 15 Mountain Boulevard Warren, NJ 07059
Dear Mr. Flaum:
On behalf of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, I can confirm that the allegations against Mayor Sam Joshi of sexual assault were investigated. No violation of law was found, and the file was closed in September 2022. No further action has been taken as of this date.
If you have any questions or care to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to contact me at (732) 745-3300. Thank you for your cooperation in this and all matters.
Sincerely, YOLANDA CICCONE Middlesex County Prosecutor.”
The survivor’s letter has illuminated many questions about the allegations Mayor Samip Joshi has not publicly addressed. Her detailed account turns speculation into substantiated concerns. The specifics she provides are essential for understanding the full scope of these events, making her letter key to a more comprehensive and truthful picture.
Mayor Joshi and Chief of Staff Bob Diehl have not responded to multiple request for comment.
