Jersey City, NJ – Guilty Verdict in First Dwek Corruption Trial

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    Jersey City, NJ – A city official in New Jersey has been convicted on two of six corruption counts in the first trial stemming from the state’s largest federal sting.

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    The panel returned its verdict against Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini today at the end of its second day of deliberations following a nine-day trial.

    Beldini showed little reaction as the verdict was read.

    She has been convicted on two counts of accepting bribes from a federal informant posing as a corrupt developer. She has been acquitted of extortion conspiracy, two counts of attempted extortion and a third bribery count.

    The 74-year-old Beldini was among 44 people arrested last summer in a dual public corruption and money laundering sting. She was the first of the group to stand trial.

    The government’s key witness in the trial was Solomon Dwek, a former Ocean Township resident and failed developer who became a federal informant shortly after he was arrested by the FBI in May 2006 on $50 million in bank fraud charges.

    After agreeing to cooperate with the government, Dwek, 37, traveled throughout New Jersey and into New York City, wearing a wire and secretly videotaping his conversations with government officials and Syrian Jewish rabbis with a tiny video camera.

    The videotapes and Dwek’s testimony were the centerpiece of the Beldini trial. The government called only three other witnesses.

    Beldini faced up to 20 years in prison if convicted of all six counts, but could receive much less time under federal sentencing guidelines.


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    25 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    terrible

    hi there,
    hi there,
    14 years ago

    nebech nebech for all those people involved. hashem should shenk them a git mazel.

    OMG
    OMG
    14 years ago

    The smartest move any of the defendants could is plea out the case, I hope that they will not try to take a page from the Rubashkin’s book.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    am i the only one who noticed that the prosecuters name was sandra moser

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I truly feel bad for those involved in this mess that have been conspired against and face a trial. Hopefully they will be dealt with mercy and understanding. Many families, children, and orginizations are involved and at stake, and I hope this entire episode ends without tragedy. Too much gossip, slander, and free talk has been spread already and we pray for everyone’s mercy from heaven. Especially our Rabbi’s.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    imagine the choice Dweck made when he chose to masser & give up his future in the world to come

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    One juror, Mike Cuppari, called Mr. Dwek ”a bad guy”

    dreck
    dreck
    14 years ago

    dwek is a sucess. he got all those curropted politicians and rabbis. lav dafka

    Dovid S
    Dovid S
    14 years ago

    I would rather have my tax dollars spent on prosecuting these corrupt politicians than have my gelt going for their welfare payments! Put them away and save my money.

    ShatzMatz
    ShatzMatz
    14 years ago

    I read some insightful analysis of the Beldini trial. It seems that the Jurors did not believe one word from Dreck and they didn’t give his testimony any weight. it was only the video evidence that convinced them. My understanding from the evidence is that the video evidence was quite dubious and vague. Real experts say that the video showed that Beldini was not a crooked politician, just desperately trying to raise money for a campaign. She might have stepped over the line, but not by much. The prosecution over stepped their bounds by laying down so many charges that cannot be substantiated. Trial watchers say that the judge didn’t seem to be pleased with the goverments conduct in this case. I think that the real indication will come from the sentencing. My guess would be a sentence of 8 months. Beldini was not such a monster as the overzealous prosecutors portrayed.

    Dwek
    Dwek
    14 years ago

    al toden as chaveircha ad shatageia lmimkomo

    von
    von
    14 years ago

    Lemasuh….all these people are guilty so if not for dwek they woulda been cought some other way…stop blaming dwek..we can’t have criminels…they’ll all be punished together