When it looks like perhaps the last bit of evidence has been uncovered in the ongoing Federal Bureau of Investigation probe into corruption in North Bergen, new twists and turns seem to come out of nowhere.
Last week, the year-long investigation took perhaps its most peculiar direction to date. With a federal subpoena in hand, FBI agents swooped down upon the township, appearing in both Town Hall and other areas of the township Monday morning, to confiscate records and files regarding the township’s relationship with the owners of perhaps the most popular delicatessen and catering business in the town.
According to reliable sources, the agents collected all documentation concerning business that was done between the township and Hashway’s Deli and Catering, located on Kennedy Boulevard.
An owner of the deli said that while it happens to do business with the town, the probe has no merit.
Neither spokespeople from the FBI nor the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark would comment on the raid, except to say “the investigation is ongoing and far from over.”
Township attorney Herb Klitzner also refused to comment on the report. “We’re not commenting on the investigation,” Klitzner said. “We don’t comment on anything regarding the investigation one way or the other.”
The FBI probe into the township began in December of 2001 when FBI agents raided Town Hall and the offices of the Municipal Utilities Authority, as well as selected homes of town officials. They eventually charged several officials with having accepted illegal services or cash from an air conditioning and heating contractor doing business with the township.
The meat of the matter
Sources revealed that last week, the FBI seized documents and files pertaining to the contracts that the town had with Hashway’s, which has provided food for local organized events and activities for many years.
Hashway’s is owned and operated by two brothers, Glen and Gary Hashway. It has been in operation for more than three decades and has been a staple of the northern North Bergen community.
“My brother and I have run a hardworking, family business, and we’ve been in business for more than 30 years,” Gary Hashway said. “My brother and I have worked very hard to maintain this business. It just happens to be that North Bergen is one of our accounts. I don’t feel this investigation warrants any merit.”
What is true is that Glen Hashway was once a part-time township employee. He earned approximately $5,000 a year, first as a housing inspector, then as a health inspector for the town. He worked on the development of Broadway and the Tauber property on Bergenline Avenue and was also involved in the town’s effort to eliminate illegal outdoor pay phones and newsstand licensing.
According to the town’s records, Hashway was a town employee from November of 1995 through March of 2001, when he resigned because of an infringement of the Conflict of Interest law. A state law prohibits any municipality from having private contracts with current township employees.
Glen Hashway’s former wife, Angela, is now allegedly romantically linked to Leonard Farinola, the owner of Fresco Air Systems and the contractor believed to be the chief figure in the investigation involving illegal payments to township officials from contractors.
Farinola has apparently turned the state’s evidence in the investigation. Guilty pleas have come from former Parks and Recreation Commissioner Peter Perez, former Township Administrator Joseph Auriemma, former Municipal Utilities Authority purchasing agent Joseph Hernandez and former Deputy Public Safety Director Vincent Zappulla.
Glen Hashway was not available for comment. His brother said that they were cooperating fully with the investigation and insisted that they didn’t do anything wrong.