Whenever in any department of this state a clerk or employee shall receive any check, reward, fee or compensation for disclosing to any person any information concerning matters or things in such department without the knowledge and consent of the head of such department, such clerk or employee shall forthwith hand over and pay to the treasurer of the state such check, reward, fee or compensation, and any failure so to do shall constitute a misdemeanor.
N.J.S. § 52:14-17