Mayors, Assemblymen, Rabbis and More Nabbed in Huge Jersey Corruption Bust
The FBI has arrested over forty individuals, including the mayors of Hoboken, Secaucus, and Ridgefield, state assemblymen, and several prominent rabbis in a huge corruption sweep earlier today. The defendants were brought into federal district court in Newark earlier this morning on charges of public corruption and money laundering.
One of the most prominent individuals charged in this sweep is Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano. According to the criminal complaint filed in federal district court, Mr. Cammarano allegedly accepted payments amounting to $25,000 from a witness who had been cooperating with the FBI in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1951. The cooperating witness had been charged with bank fraud in federal court in May 2006, and had presumably been offered a deal by prosecutors in order to assist them with future investigations. Moreover, it appears from the criminal complaint that any cash bribes that were allegedly given to Mr. Cammarano went through Michael Shaffer, a Commissioner on the North Hudson Utilities Authority.
Also charged under 18 U.S.C. 1951 was Ridgefield Mayor Anthony Suarez. According to the criminal complaint, it is alleged that Mr. Suarez accepted $10,000 in bribes from a cooperating witness in exchange for political favors, including favorable treatment for property development projects. The money was allegedly given by the cooperating witness in cash to Vincent Tabbachino, a proprietor of a tax preparation business, who then wrote a check to a legal fund maintained by Suarez.
New Jersey Assemblyman Daniel Van Pelt was also charged under 18 U.S.C. 1951 for allegedly accepting a $10,000 bribe in exchange for helping a cooperating witness, posing as a real estate developer, to obtain a Coastal Area Facility Review Act permit to develop properties in Ocean County. Van Pelt allegedly accepted the cash bribe at a meeting with the cooperating witness at a restaurant in Atlantic City.
Leona Beldini, the Deputy Mayor of Jersey City was charged in a criminal complaint, along with Edward Cheatam and Jack Shaw, with accepting illegal campaign contributions in exchange for political favors. Joseph Cardwell, a Commissioner of the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority was charged under 18 U.S.C. 666 for allegedly bribing a Jersey City official. Several Jersey City officials, including Guy Catrillo, a Planning Aide for the Jersey City Division of City Planning, Mariano Vega, the Jersey City Municipal City Council President, and Lavern Webb-Washington, a candidate for Jersey City council, were also charged with accepting bribes in exchange for official favors. Jeffrey Williamson, a Lakewood Township Housing Inspector, was also charged with accepting bribes.
In a separate complaint, two rabbis, Mordchai Fish and Lavel Schwartz, were charged, along with Abraham Pollack and Naftoly Weber with money laundering under 18 U.S.C. 1956. A cooperating witness allegedly engage defendants Fish, Schwartz, Pollack, and Weber in funneling money through various organizations for the purpose of concealing the proceeds of illegal activities.
Others arrested in the sweep include Moshe “Michael” Altman, who is alleged to have violated 18 U.S.C. 1951 by assisting in arranging for cash bribes to a Jersey City Building Inspector. Altman was also charged for money laundering under 18 U.S.C. 1956. Shaul “Charles” Amon was charged with bribing a Lakewood Housing Inspector. Others charged in separate money laundering complaints include Michael Altman, Itzak Friedlander, and Shimon Haber. Defendant Saul Kassin, the Chief Rabbi of a synagogue located in Brooklyn, was charged with money laundering along with alleged co-conspirators Edmond Nahum. Also alleged to have been involved in the money laundering was Eliahu Ben Haim, the Chief Rabbi of a synagogue located in Deal. A cooperating witness allegedly made checks payable to charitable organizations run by the defendants in an effort to conceal proceeds of illegal activities, namely the sale of counterfeit goods. Arye Weiss was charged with money laundering under 18 U.S.C. 1956 and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business under N.J.S.A. 17:15C-24.
One defendant, Levy Izhak “Issac” Rosenbaum was charged with transferring human organs for valuable consideration, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371. An undercover FBI agent allegedly posed as a man whose uncle was in need of a kidney. Rosenbaum allegedly offered to send blood samples of the undercover agent’s uncle to Israel for the purpose of finding a matching kidney donor. Rosenbaum allegedly asked for $160,000 to procure a donor in Israel for the kidney transfer.
These defendants face very serious charges that can result in imprisonment for terms of twenty years or more. However, it appears from many of the criminal complaints that these defendants have legitimate defenses, such as entrapment. A New Jersey criminal defense lawyer would be able to assist any defendants charged with conspiracy, bribery, corruption, and money laundering with developing a defense to the charges. At least one New Jersey criminal defense lawyer, Joseph Hayden, who is representing Peter Cammarano, has announced his client’s innocence and plans to fight these charges until his innocence is proven.
