New Jersey Corruption Probe Indictments

A federal grand jury has handed down the first indictment in the New Jersey corruption probe Thursday.

Prosecutors have charged Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini, 74, and Edward Cheatam, 61, a city housing commissioner, with using their official positions to conspire to extort money from an undercover government witness posing as a developer, the AP reported.

Federal agents arrested Beldini and Cheatam July 23 as part of a two-pronged investigation into public corruption, money laundering, and even human organ trafficking. In all, authorities corralled 44 people, including a number of rabbis and local elected officials.

The indictment accuses Beldini of taking $20,000 in illegal campaign contributions from the informant to help him garner favor with "Jersey City Official 1" Sources have said that "Jersey City Official 1" is Mayor Jerramiah Healy, who has not been charged in connection with the case. Cheatam is accused of accepting $15,000 in bribes.

"Beldini... sold her office for her personal financial gain and the benefit of Jersey City Official 1," said Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph Marra. "In exchange, she promised a developer official favors not available to the honest business person."

Beldini and Cheatam, who were released on bail on July 23, will be arraigned on the indictment in federal court after the case is assigned to a U.S. District Judge, officials said.

Three mayors were among those arrested -- Peter Cammarano of Hoboken, Dennis Elwell of Secaucus, and Anthony Suarez or Ridgefield. Under intense public pressure, Cammarano and Elwell resigned, but Suarez has refused.

>DOWNLOAD THE INDICTMENT (PDF)
 

Here is the full list of names of those arrested in the massive FBI corruption probe in New Jersey and New York and the charges they face.

Political Corruption
• Moshe Altman, 39, of Monsey, NY, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right & money laundering

• Charlie Ammon, 33, of Lakewood, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right
• Leona Beldini, 74, of Jersey City, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under colorof official right
• Peter Cammarano III, 32, of Hoboken, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right
• Joseph Cardwell, 68, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with agreeing to offer bribe to public official
• Joseph Castagna, 53, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right
• Guy Catrillo, 54, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with attempted extortion under color of official right
• Edward Cheatam, 61, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right & attempted extortion
• Dennis Elwell, 64, of Secaucus, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right
• Itzak Friedlander, 41, of Union City, NJ, charged with money laundering conspiracy
• Richard Greene, 45, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right
• John Guarini, 59, of Bayonne, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right
• Shimon Haber, 34, of Brooklyn, NY, charged with money laundering conspiracy
• Denis Jaslow, 46, of Wall, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right
• Maher A. Khalil, 39, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right & attempted extortion
• James P. “Jimmy” King, 67, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right
• Louis Manzo, 54, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right
• Michael Manzo, 53, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right
• Ronald Manzo, 65, of Bayonne, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right
• Michael Schaffer, 58, of Hoboken, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right
• Lori Serrano, 37, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right
• Jack Shaw, 61, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right
• L. Harvey Smith, 60, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right
• Anthony R. Suarez, 42, of Ridgefield, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right
• Vincent Tabbachino, 68, of Fairview, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right & money laundering
• Daniel M. Van Pelt, 44, of Waretown, NJ, charged with attempted extortion under color of official right
• Mariano Vega, 59, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right
• Lavern Webb-Washington, 60, of Jersey City, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official