Former county election official pleads guilty in corruption sting involving ex-Secaucus mayor
A North Bergen man who used to be an investigator for the Hudson County Board of Elections pleaded guilty Tuesday to a bribery charge, according to a U.S District Court press release.
Denis Jaslow said in federal court in Newark that in 2009 he agreed to give a $10,000 bribe to the then-Mayor of Secaucus, Dennis Elwell, on behalf of purported real estate developer Solomon Dwek, who was really an undercover FBI informant. On Tuesday, Jaslow admitted he accepted a $5,000 cash bribe in exchange for helping Dwek gain access to public officials in Hudson County.
Elwell himself has pleaded not guilty in the sting operation and has maintained his innocence.
Last month Elwell associate and Bayonne businessman Ron Manzo pleaded guilty to allegedly conspiring with Elwell and former Jersey City Housing Authority Commissioner Ed Cheatam to obtain a corrupt cash payment of $10,000 in exchange for Elwell’s alleged help with a real estate deal in Secaucus. Cheatam pleaded guilty in September 2009.
Elwell and Manzo had been scheduled to go to trial together later this month. Elwell will now stand trial alone.
The former mayor stands accused of allegedly taking a $10,000 cash bribe from Dwek.
Elwell’s trial is scheduled to begin on June 20 in U.S. District Court. He intends to fight the charges against him, although three of his associates; Cheatham, Manzo, and now Jaslow have pleaded guilty.
Elwell’s attorney, Jeffrey Garrigan, did not return a phone call by press time.
Goya seeks to build distribution center in Jersey City
Goya Foods Inc., headquartered in Secaucus, is seeking to expand its operations by building a distribution center in Jersey City, which could create between 700 to 1,000 new jobs, according to news reports.
Officials from the two municipalities met with company representatives three weeks ago to discuss initial project plans. According to the Record of Hackensack, Mayor Gonnelli received assurances that Goya’s existing headquarters and warehouse space will remain in Secaucus.
Goya Foods Inc. was ranked No. 1 on Crain’s 2011 list of the region’s top 25 minority-owned businesses with an estimated 1.7 billion in revenues last year. Founded in 1936 by Prudencio Unanue Ortiz, Goya has over 3,000 employees worldwide and is run by third-generation family member, Robert Unanue.
State Fair Meadowlands job fair this weekend
State Fair Meadowlands was planning to hold a job fair this weekend to fill positions for its 19-day fair at the Meadowlands Fairgrounds, which runs from June 24-July 10. The fair is looking for friendly workers interested in being fair ambassadors, hospitality workers, food handlers, concession workers, ride workers, and ticket sellers. Applications can be downloaded at www.njfair.com. Interested individuals were encouraged to complete an application and attend a job fair, where the hiring process would be conducted.
The fair was planned for Saturday, June 11, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The New Meadowlands “Flea” Market, Meadowlands Sports Complex, 50 State Highway 120 – Plaza J, East Rutherford. For more information and requirements, see the website. Applicants for all positions are required to work in all weather conditions, and the minimum age for applicants is 18.
Company moving HQ out of Secaucus
KnowledgePoint360 Group, a healthcare information and communications company, will move its headquarters from Secaucus to Lyndhurst in the fall, according to a news report. The company recently signed a long-term lease for a new, 60,000-square-foot headquarters location at Skyline Corporate Center in Lyndhurst.
KnowledgePoint360 Group began a local search for a new location three years before the firm’s lease expiration in Secaucus. It is a global organization with offices in London, Germany, New York, and San Bruno, Calif.