Public Corruption Arrests - July 23, 2009

Here’s the full list of people charged in the public corruption portion of the federal investigation that culminated in the arrest of many political heavies today.

Those charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right and/or attempted extortion under color of official right could, if convicted, face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a maximum statutory fine of $250,000.

Those charged with agreeing to offer a bribe payment to a public official, could, if convicted, face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum statutory fine of $250,000.

• Moshe Altman, 39, of Monsey, NY, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right and money laundering (Developer)

• 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 color of official right (Deputy Mayor of Jersey City)

• Peter Cammarano III, 32, of Hoboken, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right (Mayor of Hoboken)

• Joseph Cardwell, 68, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with agreeing to offer bribe to public official (Longtime political consultant and a commissioner of the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority)

• Joseph Castagna, 53, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right (Health Officer with the Jersey City Department of Health and Human Services)

• Guy Catrillo, 54, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with attempted extortion under color of official right (Recent Jersey City Ward E City Council candidate; Jersey City planning aide; member of the Mayor’s Action Bureau)

• Edward Cheatam, 61, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right & attempted extortion (Former Vice President — until May — of the Jersey City Board of Education; affirmative action officer for Hudson County, Jersey City Housing Authority commissioner)

• Dennis Elwell, 64, of Secaucus, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right (Mayor of Secaucus)

• 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 (Aide to Jersey City Assemblyman L. Harvey Smith)

• John Guarini, 59, of Bayonne, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right (Jersey City building inspector)

• 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 (Hudson County Board of Elections investigator)

• Maher A. Khalil, 39, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right & attempted extortion (Jersey City Department of Health and Human Services deputy director; former member of the Jersey City Zoning Board of Adjustment)

• James P. “Jimmy” King, 67, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right (Former Jersey City Ward C City Council candidate; former head of the Jersey City Parking Authority)

• Louis Manzo, 54, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right (Former state Assemblyman from Jersey City and mayoral candidate)

• Michael Manzo, 53, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right (Former Jersey City Ward B City Council candidate; employee of the Jersey City Fire Department)

• Ronald Manzo, 65, of Bayonne, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right (Brother of Lou Manzo)

• Michael Schaffer, 58, of Hoboken, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right (North Hudson Utilities Authority commissioner; close associate of Peter Cammarano)

• Lori Serrano, 37, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right (Former Jersey City At-Large City Council candidate; former chair of the Jersey City Housing Authority)

• Jack Shaw, 61, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right (Political Consultant)

• L. Harvey Smith, 60, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right (State Assemblyman from Jersey City; former City Council president; former candidate for Mayor)

• Anthony R. Suarez, 42, of Ridgefield, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right (Mayor of Ridgefield)

• Vincent Tabbachino, 68, of Fairview, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right & money laundering (Owner of a tax-preparation business in Guttenberg)

• Daniel M. Van Pelt, 44, of Waretown, NJ, charged with attempted extortion under color of official right (State Assemblyman from Lumberton Township)

• Mariano Vega, 59, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right (Jersey City Council President; director of the Hudson County Department of Parks, Engineering and Planning)

• Lavern Webb-Washington, 60, of Jersey City, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right (Former Jersey City Ward F City Council candidate)

• Jeffrey Williamson, 57, of Lakewood, NJ, charged with attempted extortion under color of official right (Lakewood housing inspector)