New Jersey deputy mayor indicted for political corruption

New Jersey politician Ronald Salahuddin, 59, the former Deputy Mayor for Public Safety for Newark, was indicted on Friday by a federal grand jury on five counts of corruptly using his political post and his influence to financially benefit his business partner and himself in connection a city demolition business contract.

In addition to Salahhuddin, the Indictment names Sonnie L. Cooper, owner and president of S. Cooper Brothers Trucking, Inc. (“Cooper Trucking”), a company that performed demolition, waste-hauling and street sweeping, for both municipal governments and private entities in Essex County, New Jersey and elsewhere in the Garden State.

The Indictment alleges that Salahuddin, A Democrat, and Cooper had an ongoing financial relationship that Salahuddin attempted to conceal. This relationship included a partnership in a waste-hauling business. In addition to their relationship as business partners in waste hauling, Salahuddin had provided financial backing to Cooper.
An arraignment for Salahuddin, a resident of East Orange, NJ, and Cooper, 67, of Springfield, NJ, will be scheduled by the U.S. District Judge to whom the case will be assigned.

The Indictment describes a scheme in which Salahuddin conspired with Cooper and others from July 2006 to December 2007 to have Salahuddin use his office to steer demolition contracts in Newark to an individual, who was working with federal investigators as a cooperating witness -- referred to in the Indictment as the CW.

Salahuddin agreed to do so in exchange for the CW’s agreement to give Cooper and his company a portion of demolition business that the CW’s company was to receive from the City of Newark and other entities, including the New Jersey Devils hockey team. In exchange for his efforts to get business for the CW, Salahuddin also solicited and accepted charitable contributions from the CW to organizations supported by Newark officials and encouraged the CW to give concealed political contributions.

“The conduct alleged in the Indictment shows a brazen effort by Salahuddin to corrupt his city office for his own personal financial gain and to benefit his business partner,” said U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman.

Kevin Cruise, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Newark office stated, “This [federal case] is neither for show nor statistical accomplishment. Rather, we intend to rid New Jersey of corruption and pay-to-play practices by making the risk outweigh the reward.”

The Newark Mayor’s Office and the New Jersey Devils have been cooperating in the investigation, according to the report obtained by the National Association of Chiefs of Police's Public Corruption Committee.

The Indictment charges that in 2006 an individual referred to in the Indictment as the Consultant initially arranged for Salahuddin and Cooper to meet the CW. The Consultant advised the CW that the Consultant had met with Salahuddin, and that Salahuddin would be able to help the CW obtain Newark demolition work, but that a portion of the work would need to be given to Cooper.

On numerous dates between September 2006 and December 2007, Salahuddin met or spoke with the CW to discuss steering both public and private demolition contracts, including demolition contracts involving the Prudential Center development in Newark, and that Salahuddin took many steps to fulfill their arrangement.

The Indictment describes Salahuddin’s plan to exclude other contractors from receiving Newark demolition work in order to “reciprocate” on the arrangement with the CW.

The Indictment further charges that Salahuddin received approximately $45,000 from Cooper between May and August 2007, including a $5,000 check that was funded from proceeds of a check for demolition work that Cooper had received from the CW. The Indictment alleges that Salahuddin deposited the $5,000 check into his personal bank account on July 23, 2007

The Indictment also states that Salahuddin allegedly claimed that contributions by the CW to organizations supported by City of Newark officials, including Salahuddin, would enable the CW to receive more demolition business.

Count One charges both defendants with conspiracy to obstruct commerce by extortion under color of official right, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Count Two charges both defendants with attempt to obstruct commerce by extortion under color of official right, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Counts Three, Four and Five charge one or both defendants with soliciting, accepting and agreeing to accept things of value to influence and reward a local government agent, each count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Salahuddin resigned his political post on July 26, 2009, the same day federal agents arrested dozens of New Jersey politicians and public employees.

In that case, the mayors of Hoboken, Secaucus and Ridgefield, the Jersey City deputy mayor and council president, two state assemblymen, numerous other public officials and political figures and five rabbis from New York and New Jersey were among 44 individuals charged in a two-track federal investigation of public corruption and a high-volume, international money laundering conspiracy,