The bribes went down in diners, living rooms and parking lots. New Jersey Assemblymen took them, mayors took them, and so did dozens of others.
Orthodox rabbis, acting more like crime bosses than religious leaders, laundered millions through synagogues and yeshivas in Deal, one of the state’s wealthiest towns. And a Realtor tried to sell an informant a black market kidney for $160,000.
Those were some of the allegations federal prosecutors made today in what could prove to be the biggest New Jersey scandal of them all.
The revelations came after hundreds of federal agents swept across the state, arresting public servants and religious leaders as part of a two-year investigation into corruption and international money-laundering that authorities described as unprecedented – even in a state known for its scandals.
I was born and raised there as well. Some things never change.
Disgraceful, from top to bottom.
I can remember way back when I was in my early teens, and my family and I lived near Philadelphia…..this was in the late 40s…..and New Jersey was a hotbed of corruption even [i]then[/i], so things haven’t changed much……unfortunately.