The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark announced on Tuesday that former state Assemblyman and several-time Jersey City mayoral candidate Louis Manzo (pictured) was indicted along with his brother Ron on charges of allegedly accepting $27,500 in bribes from the federal government’s “cooperating witness,” developer Solomon Dwek.
According to the indictment, Louis Manzo, 54, and Ronald Manzo, 65, were charged with allegedly promising former city employee Maher Khalil a promotion if Manzo won the May mayoral election. Khalil pleaded guilty last month to accepting $72,500 in payments from Dwek.
The announcement came the same day that now-former Jersey City Councilman Phil Kenny pleaded guilty to accepting $5,000 in bribes from Dwek.
An indictment is a formal, written accusation issued by a grand jury charging someone with a crime, and not proof of a crime. – RK