JERSEY CITY– U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced on Wednesday that Jersey City political consultant Joseph Cardwell was indicted for allegedly attempting to offer a $10,000 bribe payment to a Jersey City official regarding a purported real estate project by government informant Solomon Dwek.
Cardwell was one of the 44 arrested in the July 23 busts of public officials and religious figures.
The indictment charges that Cardwell accepted $10,000 in cash from Dwek with the understanding that Cardwell would provide the money to a specific Jersey City official (not named in the indictment), who had influence over real estate development matters in Jersey City. The indictment also alleges that Cardwell accepted two separate $10,000 cash payments from Dwek in exchange for making and attempting to make this bribe payment to the official.
Cardwell is scheduled to appear in federal court for arraignment on the indictment after the case is assigned to a U.S. District Judge.
The indictment charges Cardwell with one count of giving, offering, and agreeing to give things of value to the JC official in connection with a business or transaction or series of transactions with Jersey City, an entity receiving more than $10,000 in federal funds during a specified one-year period. The offense carries a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. – RK