The Hudson county Organ Trafficking Scandal

The Hudson county Organ Trafficking Scandal

As your aware, there was an organ trafficking and corruption bust last year in July involving people in the list below. This scandal shook Jersey City, and Hudson County to the core!

List of people involved.

• Moshe Altman, 39, of Monsey, NY, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right & money laundering

• Charlie Amon, 33, of Lakewood, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right

• Leona Beldini, 74, of Jersey City, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right

• Peter Cammarano III, 32, of Hoboken, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right

• Joseph Cardwell, 68, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with agreeing to offer bribe to public official

• Joseph Castagna, 53, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right

• Guy Catrillo, 54, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with attempted extortion under color of official right

• Edward Cheatam, 61, of Jersey City, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right & attempted extortion

• Dennis Elwell, 64, of Secaucus, NJ, charged with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right

Click link below for the full list.
Link

SNIPPIT From story the day after the arrests.

NEWARK -- Levy Izhak Rosenbaum of Brooklyn called himself a "matchmaker," but his business wasn't romance. Instead, authorities say, he brokered the sale of black-market kidneys, buying organs from vulnerable people from Israel for $10,000 and selling them to desperate patients in the U.S. for as much as $160,000.

The alleged scheme exposed this week by an FBI sting, rocked the nation's transplant industry. If true, it would be the first documented case of organ trafficking in the U.S., transplant experts said today.

www.nj.com...

Federal authorities arrested 44 people in New Jersey and New York in a broad-ranging corruption and international money laundering investigation that led to charges against two N.J. assemblyman and mayors of Hoboken, Secaucus and Ridgefield. The FBI and IRS investigation also ensnared rabbis from the Syrian Jewish communities in Deal and Brooklyn.

At the center of the case was Solomon Dwek, a failed Deal real estate developer. After he was caught allegedly trying to pull off a $50 million bank scam, he agreed to wear a wire and was allegedly able to ensnare the public officials and religious leaders in a massive web of money laundering, corruption and fraud.

Link

In all 44 men and women were arrested -- including the mayor of Ridgefield and an Ocean County assemblyman -- and federal authorities seized 28 bank accounts in the names of those charged with laundering money.

Federal officers showed up at the defendants' homes heavily armed, according to one of the accused, former Jersey City housing inspector John Guarini, who told The Jersey Journal that if the investigators had simply asked him to surrender, he would have.
…
Jersey City Council President Mariano Vega, who is also the director of parks and recreation for the county, is accused of taking $30,000 -- $20,000 in the form of campaign contributions and $10,000 paid after his election in May.

The list goes on and on.

In all 44 men and women were arrested -- including the mayor of Ridgefield and an Ocean County assemblyman -- and federal authorities seized 28 bank accounts in the names of those charged with laundering money.

We are Change Confronts Mariano Vega. One of the counsil members that were arrested in the corruption probe.



ATS media portal Video:



With how big this story is and what-not. We barely hear a peep about this scandal, and I live in hudson county! When the arrests happened there was a thread on it somewhere, but I cannot find it. But anyway, I am still digging through all of this information. So far a few members have pleaded guilty, and one was found guilty back in February. A lot of cases are postponed, or waiting for trial.

List & updates of those involved.
www.nj.com...

[edit on 3/4/2010 by ugie1028]

I know this story is old, really old. But there have been some updates relating to those who were involved. some have been found guilty, some are waiting for their trial, and some trials are postponed.

At least some of the justice system is still working. But the thing is, what irks me a lot about this story is that the number of people involved in the county. Who else has been compromised by this scandal. Should hudson county fire all their members, and replace them with new ones until the next election?

Jersey city Mayor Healy denies involvement, but from what i have heard around here. (yes hearsay, so take this with a grain of salt.) He is involved some-what, but somehow dodged those raids. Jersey city residents even protested that Healy should step down. I say anyone who is associated with those involved should resign.

Wanted to add this to the thread. Its the history of jersey cities corruption. I think this video was made 3 weeks before the arrests above. Coincidence?

Ledger Live: Historical Corruption Tour of Jersey City

It was well done.

At the end in front of the cemetery. silly way to end it.

I have the unfortunatcy in knowing at least 25 people involved in this mess. Such a shame for not only my county, but my state and my region. Truly dispicable.

Mariano Vega, Jr - Resigned as City Council Pres Jersey City Nov 2009.
Leona Beldini, Deputy Mayor JC resigned and convicted Dec 2009.
Lou Manzo - Director, JC Pulbic Advocay Office resigned and indicted.
James King - Director, Jimmy King Civic Association - REsigned, indicted.
Jack Shaw - Suicide on pills Oct 2009.

[edit on 14-3-2010 by TheImmaculateD1]