Political corruption in Camden, New Jersey

Throughout the history of Camden, New Jersey, there have been several political corruption scandals that have engulfed the city and, at times, the nation. Three Camden mayors have been jailed for corruption: Angelo Errichetti, Arnold Webster, and Milton Milan.^[1] One other mayor of Camden, Dana Redd, was indicted alongside George Norcross, longtime Democratic Party powerbroker in corruption charges in 2024.

Convicted Mayors of Camden

Angelo Errichetti and the Abscam Scandal

Errichetti first got wrapped in the Abscam when he accepted a bribe to help obtain gambling licenses in Atlantic City for Abdul Enterprises. He was largely responsible for introducing the Abdul Enterprises to the political world. He introduced Abdul Enterprises to Senator Harrison Williams of New Jersey. He then also introduced Michael Myers and Raymond Lederer, both Democrat US representatives in Pennsylvania. He also introduced the company to Frank Thompson Jr. to the company. By 1979, he had arranged several meetings between the company and several local, state, and national politicians that were willing to be involived in the operation. In 1981, Errichetti was convicted with three others for accepting a $50,000 bribe from FBI undercover agents in exchange for helping a non-existent Arab sheikh enter the United States.^[2] The FBI scheme was part of the Abscam operation. The 2013 film American Hustle is a fictionalized portrayal of this scheme.^[3]

Arnold Webster

In 1999, Webster, who was previously the superintendent of Camden City Public Schools, pleaded guilty to illegally paying himself $20,000 in school district funds after he became mayor.^[4]

Milton Milan

In 2001, Milan was sentenced to more than six years in federal prison for accepting payoffs from associates of Philadelphia organized crime boss Ralph Natale,^[5] soliciting bribes and free home renovations from city vendors, skimming money from a political action committee, and laundering drug money.^[6]^[7]

2024 Corruption Scandal

Dana Redd

Dana Redd was Mayor of Camden from 2010 to 2018. In 2024, she was indicted alongside George Norcross under charges of racketeering accused of using her office to help obtain waterfront properties and development rights for the benefit of George Norcross and businesses that he associates.^[8]

George Norcross

Norcross has argued that his developments and projects have benefited the city and people of Camden while many residents have protested otherwise.^[8]

Wayne R. Bryant

The Courier-Post dubbed former State Senator Wayne R. Bryant, who represented the state's 5th Legislative District from 1995 to 2008, the "king of double dipping" for accepting no-show jobs in return for political benefits.^[9] In 2009, Bryant was sentenced to four years in federal prison for funneling $10.5 million to the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) in exchange for a no-show job and accepting fraudulent jobs to inflate his state pension and was assessed a fine of $25,000 and restitution to UMDNJ in excess of $110,000.^[10] In 2010, Bryant was charged with an additional 22 criminal counts of bribery and fraud, for taking $192,000 in false legal fees in exchange for backing redevelopment projects in Camden, Pennsauken Township and the New Jersey Meadowlands between 2004 and 2006.^[11]

References

^ Hedges, Chris. " City of RuinsWalt Whitman's hometown is a Dickensian nightmare—and a warning for the rest of America", Utne Reader, March–April 2011. Accessed July 29, 2014. "Corruption is rampant, with three mayors convicted of felonies in a little more than two decades."
^ via United Press International. "Pennsylvania Congressman, Three Others Found Guilty in Abscam Corruption Trial", The Hour, August 30, 1980. Accessed December 20, 2014.
^ Sherman, Ted. "Jersey Hustle: The real-life story of Abscam", The Star-Ledger, November 25, 2013. Accessed December 20, 2014. "The producers of American Hustle call it a work of fiction.... But while names have been changed, and many of its characters transformed or wholly invented by the screenwriters, it is no secret that the highly awaited film, which opens later this month, is based on the infamous Abscam case."
^ Schurr, Brendan, via Associated Press. "Camden, N.J., Mayor Convicted of Corruption", Portsmouth Daily Times, December 22, 2000. Accessed December 20, 2014.
^ Peterson, Iver. "In Camden, Another Mayor Is Indicted on Corruption Charges", The New York Times, March 31, 2000. Accessed August 22, 2018. "The ills of this desperate city deepened today with the indictment of its mayor, Milton Milan, on 19 charges of corruption, ranging from laundering drug money and taking bribes from organized crime leaders to stealing his own computer, collecting the insurance and then selling it to a naive office volunteer for three times its worth."
^ Vargas, Caudia. "Milton Milan Jr. to seek Camden Council seat", The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 7, 2011. Accessed December 21, 2014. "The elder Milan – the city's first Hispanic mayor – was convicted in December 2000 of accepting payoffs from organized crime, soliciting bribes and free home renovations from city vendors, skimming money from a political-action committee, and laundering drug money."
^ Staff. "Milan Begins Sentence", The New York Times, July 16, 2001. Accessed July 2, 2012. "Former Mayor Milton Milan, 38, convicted of corruption charges in December, is now serving his seven-year sentence at a low-security federal prison in Loretto, Pa., where he was transferred Friday. ... On June 15, Mr. Milan was sentenced on 14 counts of corruption, including taking payoffs from the mob, as well as concealing the source of a $65,000 loan from a drug kingpin."
^ ^a ^b Soloman, Nancy. "Party boss George Norcross' indictment details a web of corruption across South Jersey". Gothamist. Gothamist. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
^ "Bryant is region's king of double dipping". Courier-Post. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
^ Graber, Trish G. "Former Sen. Wayne Bryant gets four years in prison for bribery, fraud", The Star-Ledger, July 25, 2009. Accessed December 21, 2014. "Bryant, who left office in 2007, helped steer $10.5 million in state grants to his employer, a school within the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Now he will have to pay $113,167 in restitution to UMDNJ and a $25,000 fine."
^ Ryan, Joe. "Ex-N.J. senator Wayne Bryant is indicted on additional bribery charges", The Star-Ledger, September 27, 2010. Accessed December 20, 2014.

[:3-1] Hedges, Chris. " City of RuinsWalt Whitman's hometown is a Dickensian nightmare—and a warning for the rest of America", Utne Reader, March–April 2011. Accessed July 29, 2014. "Corruption is rampant, with three mayors convicted of felonies in a little more than two decades."

[2] via United Press International. "Pennsylvania Congressman, Three Others Found Guilty in Abscam Corruption Trial", The Hour, August 30, 1980. Accessed December 20, 2014.

[3] Sherman, Ted. "Jersey Hustle: The real-life story of Abscam", The Star-Ledger, November 25, 2013. Accessed December 20, 2014. "The producers of American Hustle call it a work of fiction.... But while names have been changed, and many of its characters transformed or wholly invented by the screenwriters, it is no secret that the highly awaited film, which opens later this month, is based on the infamous Abscam case."

[4] Schurr, Brendan, via Associated Press. "Camden, N.J., Mayor Convicted of Corruption", Portsmouth Daily Times, December 22, 2000. Accessed December 20, 2014.

[5] Peterson, Iver. "In Camden, Another Mayor Is Indicted on Corruption Charges", The New York Times, March 31, 2000. Accessed August 22, 2018. "The ills of this desperate city deepened today with the indictment of its mayor, Milton Milan, on 19 charges of corruption, ranging from laundering drug money and taking bribes from organized crime leaders to stealing his own computer, collecting the insurance and then selling it to a naive office volunteer for three times its worth."

[6] Vargas, Caudia. "Milton Milan Jr. to seek Camden Council seat", The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 7, 2011. Accessed December 21, 2014. "The elder Milan – the city's first Hispanic mayor – was convicted in December 2000 of accepting payoffs from organized crime, soliciting bribes and free home renovations from city vendors, skimming money from a political-action committee, and laundering drug money."

[Milan2001-7] Staff. "Milan Begins Sentence", The New York Times, July 16, 2001. Accessed July 2, 2012. "Former Mayor Milton Milan, 38, convicted of corruption charges in December, is now serving his seven-year sentence at a low-security federal prison in Loretto, Pa., where he was transferred Friday. ... On June 15, Mr. Milan was sentenced on 14 counts of corruption, including taking payoffs from the mob, as well as concealing the source of a $65,000 loan from a drug kingpin."

[nor-8] Soloman, Nancy. "Party boss George Norcross' indictment details a web of corruption across South Jersey". Gothamist. Gothamist. Retrieved November 16, 2024.

[9] "Bryant is region's king of double dipping". Courier-Post. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved June 30, 2012.

[10] Graber, Trish G. "Former Sen. Wayne Bryant gets four years in prison for bribery, fraud", The Star-Ledger, July 25, 2009. Accessed December 21, 2014. "Bryant, who left office in 2007, helped steer $10.5 million in state grants to his employer, a school within the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Now he will have to pay $113,167 in restitution to UMDNJ and a $25,000 fine."

[11] Ryan, Joe. "Ex-N.J. senator Wayne Bryant is indicted on additional bribery charges", The Star-Ledger, September 27, 2010. Accessed December 20, 2014.

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