U.S. Attorney: New Jersey public corruption investigation

Jersey City building inspector John Guarini, who allegedly took $20,000 from the cooperating witness in July 2007, and $40,000 in total over time, introduced the cooperating witness to Maher A. Khalil, deputy director of the Jersey City Department of Health and Human Services and a former member of the Jersey City Zoning Board of Adjustment. Khalil, who accepted $30,000 in cash payments from the cooperating witness, made key referrals that set in motion a kind of "corruption networking" amongst the defendants charged to day, as well as others, Marra said. The investigation is continuing.

Introductions usually took place at diners and restaurants in Jersey City, Bayonne, Weehawken, Hoboken, Staten Island, Toms River, Atlantic City and elsewhere. Envelopes stuffed with cash were often passed from the cooperating witness to recipients or their intermediaries in parking lots after such meetings, according to the criminal complaints.

Khalil pledged to the cooperating witness to make introductions only to "players" who would "do the right thing" by approving the cooperating witness's development plans in exchange for payments, according to his criminal complaint. All along the way, each of the individuals charged allegedly took cash bribes up to $20,000 at a time — often numerous times — either taking the money outright or scheming to direct conduit payments through others to political campaigns in Jersey City or Hoboken. In each instance, the defendants acknowledged that, in exchange for the cash or cash campaign contributions, they would vote for or use their official influence to expedite and get approvals for the cooperating witness's projects.

Following are the individuals charged in the public corruption investigation, with the exception of Khalil and Guarini above, and summaries of their alleged conduct from the criminal Complaints:

Jersey City Democratic Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini, a realtor. Beldini planned to become broker for her purported 750-unit condominium project on Garfield Avenue, where units would sell for $500,000 each. Beldini, who was treasurer of a Jersey City official's re-election campaign, also accepted $20,000 in campaign donations, which she said would be divided between "donors" who would return the money to the campaign in increments of $2,600, the maximum individual donation allowed under law.
Jack M. Shaw, a Hudson County political consultant. As described in the complaint, he took $10,000 from the cooperating witness for himself and proposed that the cooperating witness pay $10,000 in campaign contributions for the re-election campaign of a Jersey City
official.
Hudson County Affirmative Action Officer Edward Cheatam, a commissioner with the Jersey City Housing Authority and, until May, vice president of the Jersey City Board of Education. Cheatam took $15,000 in cash bribes. (Khalil had introduced Cheatam to the cooperating witness; Cheatam then introduced Beldini and Shaw to the cooperating witness, all of whom then went on to extend introductions of the cooperating witness to many others.)
Jersey City Democratic Council President Mariano Vega, Jr. He met several times with the cooperating witness and ultimately accepted three $10,000 payments, two of which Vega instructed an intermediary to have broken down and converted into individual contributions for his re-election campaign and the third whi ch he received after his election victory.
Former Assemblyman Louis Manzo (D-Hudson) of Jersey City, a defeated candidate for mayor, and his brother and political advisor, Ronald Manzo. Together, they accepted $27,500 in three cash payments intended for Louis Manzo's mayoral campaign. The cooperating witness was told that giving money to Louis Manzo was "insurance" to secure his influence for the cooperating witness in the event the incumbent for mayor lost.
Lavern Webb-Washington, an unsuccessful candidate for the Jersey City council and a self-described housing activist. She accepted $15,000 in three cash installments of $5,000 for her political campaign.
Lori Serrano, an unsuccessful candidate for the Jersey City council and former chair of the Jersey City Housing Authority. Serrano accepted $10,000 in two cash payments of $5,000 for her political campaign.
James P. King, an unsuccessful candidate for Jersey City council, former head of the Jersey City Parking Authority, former chairman of the Jersey City Incinerator Authority and a former Hudson County undersheriff. He accepted two payments of $5,000 each for his political campaign.
Michael J. Manzo (no relation to the other Manzos), an unsuccessful candidate for Jersey City council, and a city arson investigator. He agreed to accept a $5,000 cash payment from the cooperating witness for his campaign.
Joseph Castagna, a health officer with the Jersey City Department of Health and Human Services, and a close associate of Michael Manzo. Castagna took the $5,000 payment from the cooperating witness to pass to Michael Manzo.
Dennis Jaslow, an investigator for the Hudson County Board of Elections and formerly a state corrections officer. Jaslow accepted $2,500, but complained that he wanted $5,000.
Joseph Cardwell, a political consultant and a commissioner of the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority. He accepted two payments of $10,000 in cash to assist the cooperating witness with local government officials in Jersey City and other municipalities, and another $10,000, most of which was used for the purchase of fundraising event tickets.
Guy Catrillo, a Jersey City planning aide and member of the mayor's "Action Bureau," and an unsuccessful candidate for the city council. Catrillo took $10,000 in campaign cash and another $5,000.
Assemblyman L. Harvey Smith (D-Hudson), a Jersey City mayoral candidate and former three term councilman and a Hudson County undersheriff. Smith took two cash payments, one for $5,000, the other for $10,000, in exchange for approaching high-level contacts with the state Department of Transportation and Department of Environmental Protection to clear the way for approvals of the cooperating witness's project on Garfield in Jersey City and another project off Route 440 in Bayonne. Smith's aide, Richard Greene, is charged in the same criminal complaint, and is accused of taking the $5,000 payment from the cooperating witness and passing it to Smith.
Hoboken Democratic Mayor Peter Cammarano III, previously a city councilman and, and a lawyer specializing in election law. While a candidate for mayor, then-councilman Cammarano and his close associate, Michael Schaffer, a commissioner on the North Hudson Utilities Authority, took three payments of $5,000 each with the promise that, in return, Cammarano would sponsor zoning changes and push through building plans for high-rise development in Hoboken by the cooperating witness. After the conclusion of their first meeting at a Hoboken diner, the cooperating witness stated, "Make sure you get my stuff expedited." To which Cammarano replied: "I promise you ... you're gonna be treated like a friend." Moments later, in the parking lot, Schaffer took the first $5,000 in cash. On July 16, Cammarano and Schaffer met the cooperating witness again at a Hoboken diner and accepted another $10,000, which Cammarano said was needed to pay campaign debts, bringing the total in bribes accepted by Cammarano and Schaffer to $25,000.
Secaucus Democratic Mayor Dennis Elwell and Ronald Manzo (Manzo is charged in this complaint in addition to the one with his brother Louis Manzo). Elwell received a $10,000 cash bribe — through Manzo as the middleman — to assist the cooperating witness with plans to build a hotel in Secaucus. Manzo took $5,000 from the cooperating witness as a reward for bringing Elwell to him.
Ridgefield Mayor Anthony Suarez, an attorney, and co-defendant Vincent Tabbachino, owner of a tax preparation business in Guttenberg. Suarez accepted $10,000 from the cooperating witness through Tabbachino as a middleman, for Suarez's promised assistance in getting approvals20to develop properties in Ridgefield. Tabbachino said he kept the cash and, in turn, would write checks totaling $10,000 — one check for $2,500 was cashed — to a legal defense fund for Suarez related to an allegation made by a political opponent of Suarez. Tabbachino also laundered $100,000 in cash from the cooperating witness's purported knock-off handbag business.
Assemblyman Daniel M. Van Pelt (R-Ocean) and Lumberton Township administrator. Van Pelt accepted $10,000 from the cooperating witness for his influence as an Assemblyman to help in getting the necessary permits for a purported project the cooperating witness was planning in Ocean Township. Van Pelt particularly offered his influence in obtaining the necessary permits from the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Jeffrey Williamson, a Lakewood housing inspector, who was also an Assembly candidate in 2007. He accepted a total of more than $16,000 in bribes in regular payments of $1,000 between about May 2007 and the last one on July 10, to provide lenient inspections on rental and other properties owned by the cooperating witness in Lakewood. Williamson also allowed the cooperating witness to illegally use a residence in Lakewood as a commercial office. Charles "Shaul" Amon aided in the Lakewood payoff scheme by introducing Williamson to the cooperating witness.
Charles "Shaul" Amon, previously worked for the cooperating witness managing properties in Lakewood. Amon aided in the Lakewood payoff scheme by introducing Williamson to the cooperating witness. Amon described how he had previously made payoffs to Williamson to go light on housing inspections.