🔴 An official and a business owner admit to a $1.5 million parks scandal.
🔴 Kickbacks involved bags of cash, huge checks, and favors, federal prosecutors say.
🔴 Investigators say the six-year scheme involved more than one bad apple.
Investigators say they’ve uncovered another New Jersey bribery scandal, but this time it’s massive bags of cash instead of gold bars.
Three men have been implicated in the six-year scheme, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey announced on Friday. They include two former Hudson County parks directors and a New Jersey businessman.
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Thomas A. DeLeo, 76, of Little Silver, was the Division of Parks head until 2021. On March 5, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, both federal counts.
Leo’s successor was Russell Fallacara, 58, of Bayonne. He stepped down as parks director in 2024. Federal prosecutors say Fallacara faces the same charges that DeLeo just pleaded guilty to. New Jersey 101.5 has reached out to Fallacara’s defense attorney for comment…