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TRENTON
– Attorney General Anne Milgram and
Criminal Justice Director Deborah L. Gramiccioni
announced that New Jersey Assemblyman and
former Perth Amboy mayor Joseph Vas was indicted
today on charges he conspired with city employees
to steal approximately $5,000 in funds of
the City of Perth Amboy to pay for personal
purchases and expenses.
Vas,
54, was also indicted with his personal driver,
Anthony S. Jones, 48, of Perth Amboy, in connection
with an alleged scheme in which Vas rigged
a public lottery so that Jones won the opportunity
to buy an affordable two-family home through
the Perth Amboy Home Program.
The
charges stem from an investigation by the
Division of Criminal Justice Corruption Bureau.
The indictment charges that from June 2003
to September 2007, Vas fraudulently obtained
payment from the Perth Amboy Recreation Department
for personal expenses, including $1,450 in
fees for two basketball camps for his son,
$289 for refreshments for his father’s
funeral, and hundreds of dollars for sportswear,
sneakers, beachwear and other personal items
for himself.
Vas
allegedly conspired with city officials, not
named in the indictment, to submit fraudulent
invoices, purchase orders and vouchers for
the expenses.
“Joseph
Vas took an oath as mayor to honestly and
faithfully serve his city, but instead he
shamelessly exploited his position for personal
gain,” said Attorney General Milgram.
“We charge that he stole taxpayer
money from Perth Amboy’s recreation
department to pay for personal expenses, including
hundreds of dollars for clothing and sneakers
for himself and $1,450 for basketball camps
for his son. And by rigging a housing lottery,
he rewarded his personal driver at the expense
of the city, denying deserving families who
might have been able to purchase this two-family
home. Public officials are elected to serve
the public, not exploit their positions for
private gain.”
According
to Director Gramiccioni, Vas was charged by
a state grand jury with second-degree conspiracy,
six counts of second-degree official misconduct,
second-degree pattern of official misconduct,
third-degree theft by unlawful taking, third-degree
misapplication of government property, and
third-degree tampering with public records
or information. Jones was charged with one
count each of conspiracy and official misconduct,
both in the second degree.
Second-degree
crimes carry a maximum sentence of 10 years
in state prison and a criminal fine of $150,000,
while third-degree crimes carry a maximum
sentence of five years in prison and a $15,000
fine.
Four
of the second-degree counts against Vas –
three of the official misconduct counts and
the pattern of official misconduct count –
carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five
years in prison without parole because they
involve conduct that occurred on or after
April 14, 2007. The third-degree tampering
with public records count carries a mandatory
minimum of two years in prison without parole.
The mandatory minimums were established under
a new law signed by Governor Jon S. Corzine
in March 2007 that significantly enhanced
the punishment of government officials who
are convicted of abusing their office and
violating the public trust.
“Mayor
Vas treated taxpayer money like his own, enlisting
others to help him cover up his fraudulent
expenditures,” said Director Gramiccioni.
“Fortunately, the detectives and attorneys
assigned to our Corruption Bureau uncovered
his various schemes.”
In
the fraud involving the housing lottery, Vas
allegedly arranged for a co-conspirator, not
named in the indictment, to conceal a folded
index card bearing Jones’ name and pretend
to randomly draw it as the winner from among
40 participants. As a result, Jones was able
to purchase the low-income housing, which
was made available through the U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development New Construction
First Time Home Buyers Program. Jones paid
$129,800 for the home and received $2,000
in subsidized closing costs from the city.
The
expenses fraudulently billed to the city by
Vas allegedly included:
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$1,400 in fees for a private basketball
training camp, including $1,000 in fees
for his son as well as fees for a co-conspirator’s
son;
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$153.22 for beachwear for himself;
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$142.38 for sneakers and a duffle bag for
himself;
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$3,800 for various expenses, including personal
clothing and other unidentified items;
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$450 for a second basketball camp for his
son;
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$289.37 for refreshments for his father’s
funeral.
The
indictment was handed up to Superior Court
Judge Maria Marinari Sypek in Mercer County,
who assigned the case to Middlesex County,
where the defendants will be ordered to appear
at a later date to answer the charges. The
indictment is merely an accusation and the
defendants are presumed innocent until proven
guilty. The indictment is posted with this
release on the Attorney General’s Web
page at www.njpublicsafety.com.
Attorney
General Milgram commended the attorneys and
investigators who are handling the case for
the Division of Criminal Justice Corruption
Bureau. Assistant Attorney General Lewis Korngut
and Deputy Attorney General Dianne C. DiGiamber
Deal presented the case to the state grand
jury. They were supervised by Assistant Attorney
General Boris Moczula, deputy director of
the Division of Criminal Justice, and assisted
by Deputy Attorney General Asha Vaghela.
The
investigation was led by Sgt. Dino Dettorre
and Detective Benjamin Kukis, assisted by
Lt. Daniel O'Brien, Sgt. Robert McGrath, Detective
Lee Bailey, Detective Melissa Calkin, Detective
Lisa Cawley, Detective Shaun Egan, Detective
Kiersten Pentony, Detective Robert Stemmer
and Civil Investigator Joseph Salvatore.
Attorney
General Milgram and Director Gramiccioni noted
that the Division of Criminal Justice - Corruption
Bureau 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 report suspected wrongdoing. All information
received through the Division of Criminal
Justice Corruption Tipline or Web page will
remain confidential.
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