Trenton, Mercer County, NJ - New Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey today announced that a public corruption investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Bureau has resulted in an elected New Jersey Assemblyman pleading guilty in Mercer County Superior Court to state charges of misappropriating and diverting thousands of dollars in campaign funds to pay personal expenses.

“Assemblyman Impreveduto has pleaded guilty to siphoning thousands of dollars donated by constituents who expected their contributions to be used for campaign expenses - not personal enrichment. This defendant has demonstrated that greed and self-indulgence are more important than public service,” said Attorney General Harvey. “The Attorney General’s Office will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute public corruption cases whether the acts are committed by appointed or elected officials, contractors doing business with the State, or anyone involved in stealing public monies.”

Joining Attorney General Harvey in announcing the criminal Accusation were Vaughn L. McKoy, Director, Division of Criminal Justice, Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent, New Jersey State Police, Acting Supervisory Special Agent Sheri Evanina, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and representatives from the Division of Criminal Justice - Special Prosecutions Bureau.

According to Criminal Justice Director McKoy, a criminal Accusation filed by the Special Prosecutions Bureau charged New Jersey Assemblyman Anthony Impreveduto (D.-32nd District), 56, Secaucus, Hudson County, with misapplication of entrusted property and property of government or financial institution (3rd degree) and concealment or misrepresentation of contributions or expenditures (4th degree).

In pleading guilty to the state charges before Mercer County Superior Court Judge Maria Marinari Sypek, Impreveduto admitted diverting thousands of dollars in campaign monies for his own personal use. In entering the guilty plea, Impreveduto agreed to immediately resign his elected office of Assemblyman from the 32nd District (parts of Bergen and Hudson counties) and to pay financial restitution in the full amount of funds illegally taken from various election funds and/or campaign accounts. The amount of restitution will be determined by the Court after the Division of Criminal Justice completes an audit of subpoenaed documents. Additionally, Impreveduto faces a fine of up to $25,000, a probationary sentence, and will be forever disqualified from holding any “public office or position of honor, trust, or profit.”

“The significant results obtained through this investigation represent the continuing efforts to uncover and prosecute corruption by the Attorney General’s Division of Criminal Justice and the Special Prosecutions Bureau. The outcome of this prosecution serves the public interest and the interests of justice,” said Director McKoy.

The Accusation alleges that from August, 1999 through May, 2004, Impreveduto diverted thousands of dollars from an election fund to pay for personal, non-campaign related expenses. The Special Prosecutions Bureau investigation, in conjunction with state and federal law enforcement agencies, determined that the campaign funds were used by Impreveduto for personal expenses such as the payment of personal income taxes, personal travel for he and his family, furniture, household items, clothing, and other items. Public records report that Impreveduto served nine terms as an elected Assemblyman from Hudson County and was an elected Secaucus Councilman from 1981 - 1992.

The Impreveduto prosecution was coordinated by Deputy Attorney’s General Anthony Picione and Robert Czepiel, Jr. of the Division of Criminal Justice - Special Prosecutions Bureau. The corruption investigation was conducted by New Jersey State Police Det. Thomas Goletz and State Investigator Lee Bailey and the investigative staff of the Special Prosecutions Bureau. Representatives from the Newark Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Jersey State Police Corruption Unit assisted in the investigation.

In announcing the Accusation, Attorney General Harvey noted that the Division of Criminal Justice has established a toll-free “Corruption Tipline” for the public to report corruption, financial crime and other illegal activities. The statewide “Corruption TipLine” is: 1-866-TIPS-4CJ. Additionally, the public can log-on to the Division of Criminal Justice Web Page at www.njdcj.org to electronically report suspected wrongdoing. All information received via the Division of Criminal Justice “Corruption Tipline” will remain confidential.

A copy of the Accusation, plea agreement and Waiver of Indictment is available via the Division of Criminal Justice Web Page at: www.njdcj.org.

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