Trenton New Jersey Mayor & Associates Indicted on Bribery, Extortion Charges

Trenton Mayor, Tony Mack

By Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times

Last week Trenton, New Jersey Mayor Tony F. Mack, his brother, Ralphiel Mack, and associate, Joseph A. “JoJo” Giorgianni, all learned that a federal grand jury returned an eight-count Indictment charging them with extortion, bribery and mail and wire fraud.

The charges come following a two year investigation by special agents of the FBI’s Trenton Resident Agency,
Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward into corrupt activities the men engaged in involving the automated Parking Garage Project.


According to investigators, the men did conspire "under color of official right" to obtain money and other items of value, including casino chips, using Mayor Macks direct influence involving the Parking Garage Project which would have influenced interstate commerce and conspired to conceal material aspects of the corrupt agreement.

The defendants allegedly plotted to accept $119,000 in bribes in exchange  assisting cooperating witnesses in the development of an automated parking garage, which sits upon City-owned land. In an attempt to conceal their activities, the defendants met at several locations outside of City Hall to include Giorgianni's residence, clubhouse and several Atlantic City restaurants.

When the defendants discussed their business dealings in relation to the scheme, they used code words and
aliases such as "Uncle Remus," "J" and "Mr. Baker," which both Giorgianni and another conspirator identified only as "CC-1," regularly used to communicate to Mayor Mack that a corrupt payment had been received.

For example, on Oct. 29, 2011, Giorgianni telephoned CC-1 to inform the conspirator that Giorgianni had to "see"
Mayor Mack and that "I got Uncle Remus for him," meaning a corrupt cash payment that Giorgianni had received from CW-1 two days earlier. Giorgianni directed CC-1 to bring Mayor Mack to one of their secret meeting places, "Giorgianni’s Clubhouse", stating "we gotta talk" because "I got something that might be good for him" and that they had already come
with "Uncle Remus," meaning a corrupt cash payment.

On June 13, 2012, Giorgianni again telephoned Mayor Mack and informed him that "Uncle Remus" was present. Mayor Mack replied, "I’ll call you, J. Okay?" In text messages to Mayor Mack related to the scheme, Giorgianni would refer to himself only as "Mr. Baker."

U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman spelled out the allegations against the trio within the complaint released to the media last week:

Tony F. Mack, 46, Ralphiel Mack, 40, both of Trenton, and Giorgianni, 63, of Ewing were originally were charged by Complaint on Sept. 10, 2012, with one count of conspiracy to obstruct commerce by extortion under color of official right related to the $119,000 extortion scheme.

The Indictment returned last week included the additional charges: 
• One count of attempted obstruction of commerce by extortion under the color of official right against Tony and (Count 2) Ralphiel Mack, and Giorgianni;
• One count of accepting and agreeing to accept bribes against Tony F. Mack and Ralphiel Mack (Count 3);
• One count of giving and agreeing to give bribes against Giorgianni (Count 4);
• Three counts alleging that the defendants devised a scheme to defraud the City of Trenton and its citizens of money and property and of defendant Tony F. Mack’s honest services (Counts 5 to 7);
• One extortion count charging Giorgianni with participating in an additional scheme of arranging to steer a power washing contract to a city vendor in exchange for a kickback to a Trenton employee (Count 8).

The charges lodged against the politicians carry maximum potential penalties of 20 years in prison, in addition to potential fine of $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense. The Indictment also seeks forfeiture of the $54,000 in bribes actually received by the defendants and a $1,300 kickback received by Giorgianni related to an alleged power washing contract.

Tony Mack: Mark G. Davis of Hamilton is representing Mayor Mack. Giorgianni has hired Jerome A. Ballarotto of Trenton, and John W. Hartmann of Princeton Junction will defend Ralphiel Mack.

Legislators, Officials react to Mayor's Indictment

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