The recent Federal Bureau of Investigation probe into corruption among North Bergen officials took another turn last week when the former township administrator and financial director of the Municipal Utilities Authority pleaded guilty to receiving work on his two homes and financial kickbacks from a local vendor.
After being indicted on several charges in June, Joseph Auriemma pleaded guilty in federal court in Newark last week, admitting that he used the United States Postal Service to concoct a scheme that “deprived the citizens of North Bergen of money, property and his honest services as a public official,” according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Clark.
Auriemma apparently decided to take the plea instead of facing trial in front of U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Greenaway Jr. When Auriemma received the indictment in June, his attorney, John Whipple of Morristown, said, “My client will fight these charges to the fullest extent of the law…and he will have his say in court in front of a jury very soon.”
Neither Whipple nor Auriemma returned phone calls by press time.
Greenaway set the sentencing for Auriemma for Dec. 23 at 9:30 a.m. The 54-year-old Auriemma faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine for $250,000.
In federal court, Auriemma admitted that, while serving as township administrator and financial director of the MUA, he accepted free work to his house from a vendor with North Bergen contracts.
In court, Auriemma also admitted to intentionally concealing his receipts of improper personal benefits by failing to mention them on financial disclosure statements, which are filed with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs pursuant to the local government ethics laws.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, Auriemma specifically admitted accepting free work on his personal residence from the vendor during the period from 1993 through 2000, including roof and skylight repairs in 1993 and 1994, a renovated bathroom in 1995, a new roof and gutters in 1996, a new outdoor shed and renovations to the garage in 1998, a new air conditioning condenser unit in 1998, and a new heat pump air conditioner/heater at his Wildwood vacation home in 2000.
Auriemma admitted that during this timeframe he took official actions related to the vendor’s North Bergen and MUA contracts and receipt of payments under those contracts. He further admitted that he knew that the free renovations and other benefits were offered to him to influence him to take favorable action on the vendor’s behalf, according to Clark.
Auriemma also admitted to taking steps to cover up his illegal conduct. In addition to falsifying financial disclosure forms, Auriemma admitted to one instance in which he wrote a check to make it appear as if he had paid for work done on his home, but then received the money back in a cash payment.
“Our fight against public corruption achieves another victory,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie. “We will not permit any person who holds public office to break the law and violate the public trust.”
Once again, Clark was asked if the probe into township corruption has reached its pinnacle.
“It’s continuing,” Clark said. “It’s an ongoing investigation.”
Third official down
Auriemma’s guilty plea is the third in the nearly yearlong probe. Former Parks and Recreation Commissioner Peter Perez and former Public Safety Aide Vincent Zappulla have already taken guilty pleas also after allegedly receiving illegal work from a township contractor.
The investigation included the three officials after the vendor allegedly secretly recorded conversations between himself and the township officials.
Leonard Farinola, the owner and operator of Fresco Air Systems, was mentioned in the indictment against Auriemma in June as the contractor who provided the work for Auriemma, but was not specifically named during Auriemma’s courtroom proceedings last week.
Farinola received $2.7 million in township and MUA contracts for air conditioning, heating and building repair during Auriemma’s tenure as township administrator.
While it has been rumored for months – and confirmed by Farinola’s representatives – that an indictment was apparently close, Farinola has yet to be officially charged with any wrongdoing in the case.
When the indictment was handed down last June, North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco insisted Auriemma was innocent and would be cleared of all charges when the case went to trial.
That tune has now changed. “In a sense, this closes another chapter in the investigation,” Sacco said. “We have cooperated fully with the investigation and the sooner things get wrapped up, the better it is for the residents of the township. A crime is a crime and Joe committed the crime and he’s now paying for it.”
Sacco was asked why Auriemma had suddenly changed his strategy and accepted the guilty plea instead of going to trial. “I haven’t spoken to Joe in quite a while,” Sacco said. “Apparently, he decided that this was the best thing for him and his family. What he admitted to doing was wrong and that’s disappointing.”
Sacco said there was nothing his administration could have done to prevent the illegal activity. “It was not taking place visibly,” Sacco said. “It was not something we could see coming. There was no bribery, no shakedowns. No one else has been charged outside of the circle of friends.”
However, the cloud of controversy remains as the investigation continues, and residents wonder what’s next regarding more corruption among township officials.