West New York Mayor Felix Roque pleaded not guilty on July 27 to state charges that he was involved in a bribery and kickback scheme connected to his medical practice.
After the court date was postponed earlier in the month, Roque appeared before a Bergen County Superior Court Judge Edward Jerejian to answer an indictment filed by the state attorney general’s office on June 9 for allegedly accepting $250,000 in a kickback scheme.
Roque’s attorney, Christopher D. Adams, of the Holmdel law firm Adams, Buchan & Palo, LLC, has called the allegations “ridiculously false.”
“I did nothing wrong,” Roque told the Hudson Reporter two weeks ago, prior to his original date for arraignment
Roque operates the Pain Relief Center medical practice. The indictment alleges that between 2007 and 2012 he referred patients to Diagnostic Imaging Affiliates of Boonton controlled by Rehan Zuberi in exchange for cash and campaign contributions. The charges are not connected to the mayor’s performance in office.
“I can prove I did nothing wrong.” – Felix Roque
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“By allegedly taking approximately a quarter-million dollars in bribes, Mayor Roque put his personal wealth and political career ahead of his patients’ needs,” acting state Attorney General John Hoffman said.
Zuberi pleaded guilty in June to leading a criminal enterprise that paid millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks to dozens of doctors from 2008 to 2014.
Under the plea deal, Zuberi agreed to cooperate with authorities in the investigation, and in return, prosecutors will recommend he serve 10 years in prison.
Oddly enough, Roque wasn’t aware of the original indictment until he read a news report on the internet, a West New York official told the Hudson Reporter.
“This stems from an informant who has a plea deal with the government to give them information about doctors,” this source said.
“Nothing in the indictment is about West New York or Roque’s job as mayor,” said WNY Counsel Donald Scarinci. “These charges have to do with his private business.” This is the second time since taking office that Roque has been charged with a serious crime.
In 2013 Roque was acquitted of federal charges accusing him of conspiring with his son to hack into a website called “Recall Roque.”
Election reports show that Zuberi donated to the West New York mayor’s campaigns over the years. But the records do not show these adding up to the $250,000. The five-page indictment is skimpy on details.
Roque when interviewed last month by the Hudson Reporter was confident that he could beat these charges, saying that he had proof of his innocence.
“I can prove I did nothing wrong,” he said. But he did not give any more details.
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.