Leona Beldini GUILTY! on two counts
A federal jury yesterday convicted suspended Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini of taking $20,000 in bribes (two counts of bribery) that prosecutors say she funneled into Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy's re-election campaign last year. She was acquitted on four counts, which carried penalties of up to 20 years behind bars.
Beldini faces up to 10 years in prison for each count and a maximum fine of $500,000. She is to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Jose Linares at 10 a.m. on June 1.
See the full story here on NJ.com:
http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/jerseycity/index.ssf?/base/news-9/1265959564147740.xml&coll=3
Below is a link to more comprehensive coverage of the trial:
http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2010/02/comprehensive_coverage_of_the.html
Video - U.S. Attorney pleased with the result of Leona Beldini Case:
My comment: This was the first of the 44 cases that was tried in last years Federal corruption probe. It should be noted the she was aquitted of the conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right charges. Those charges are simmilar to the charges Peter Cammarano is facing but is too early to tell what impact that will have on his case to which no trial date has been set as of yet.
Update 2/9/2010:
Follow NJ.com's updates on the Leona Beldini trial. She is the first of the 44 to be under trial in last year's FBI corruption sting. Jury is in deliberation..........
http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/crime/index_2.html
Original Post 1/30/2010:
Diner-Gate/ Kidney Gate Update
The arrests were made in dramatic fashion on July 23, 2009 in a takedown that featured early morning raids from synagogues to city halls, the residence of 31-day mayor and master debater Peter Cammarano, and allegations of bribes distributed in cash-stuffed cereal boxes. Prosecutors say the money laundering operations were so large they were referred to as laundromats.
It also produced one of the more memorable perp walks in New Jersey's history: Elderly rabbis in long black coats, sweat-suited municipal employees and assorted bleary-eyed elected officials paraded in handcuffs off a fleet of buses for processing at FBI headquarters.Jury selection in the Beldini trial begins Monday. Both sides on this will be watching to see how other trials may go down.
http://www.northjersey.com/news/012410_First_trial_set_to_begin_in_NJ_corruption_probe.html
Here are two quotes that sum up the impact of this sting and Beldini's trial:
"The July arrests furthered perceptions of New Jersey as so corrupt that Dwek merely had to cast a fishing line, baited with bribe money, in any direction to touch off a feeding frenzy."
- From NorthJersey.com
"I certainly hope we are provided with something similar from the Cammarano caper."
- Hoboken Journal Reader Eric Kurta
Below is an initial video clip of evidence that will be presented at the Beldini trial:
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