Joseph McCallum, who served on the Newark Municipal Council and on the Board of Directors of the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation had previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud, admitting to defrauding Newark and the NCEDC, and filing a false tax return, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello said.
From 2017 through February 2020, Malik Frederick, a former consultant for developers seeking construction and real estate deals in Newark, paid concealed bribes and kickbacks to McCallum, Lamparello said.
These bribes and kickbacks were funded by developers, contracting companies, and other businesses seeking contracts and approvals principally related to development, construction, and real estate projects and deals in Newark, Lamparello said. Frederick and others solicited these developers to hire Frederick’s consulting company for “access,” and were introduced to McCallum as the councilman behind the project or deal of interest to them, Lamparello said. McCallum then received concealed bribes and kickbacks from the fees that Frederick obtained from those who retained his company, Lamparello said…