Joseph Arrigo, HUD Bribery, NJ 2023

Joseph Arrigo, 47, of Bayonne, New Jersey, is headed to federal prison for 15 months after admitting he paid $65,000 in bribes to a city accountant to funnel government-funded home rehabilitation projects his way. The hard-money payoff scheme targeted U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants meant for low-income families — cash that instead lined Arrigo’s pockets through fraud and manipulation.

Arrigo, owner of Shadow Contracting LLC, pleaded guilty to paying bribes to Anselmo Crisonino, 56, the senior accountant in Bayonne’s Department of Community Development (CBDCD). Crisonino controlled access to HUD grants — up to $20,000 per project — designed to fix health, safety, and code violations in struggling households. In exchange for stacks of cash, Crisonino fast-tracked $426,000 in HUD funds directly to Arrigo’s company from September 2010 to February 2013.

The corruption didn’t stop there. Arrigo admitted to rigging bids with other contractors to steal more taxpayer money. In September 2011, he inflated a bid so another contractor could win a $20,000 HUD grant. Months later, roles reversed — the other contractor inflated his bid so Arrigo could cheat the system and steal another $20,000. These weren’t desperate scams — they were calculated moves in a rigged game.

Arrigo also stole $40,000 in government funds outright and failed to report $151,993 in income on his 2011 federal tax return, filing a false Form 1040. The IRS wasn’t fooled. His web of lies unraveled under federal scrutiny, exposing a contractor who treated public funds like a personal piggy bank.

U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan handed down the 15-month sentence in Trenton federal court, adding three years of supervised release. Arrigo’s defense was led by Charles J. Uliano of West Long Branch, New Jersey, but no amount of legal polish could hide the stench of his betrayal. The money was meant for vulnerable homeowners — not kickbacks for backroom deals.

Crisonino, the city accountant who took the bribes, pleaded guilty in February 2014 and awaits sentencing. The investigation was led by the FBI, HUD’s Office of the Inspector General, and IRS Criminal Investigation — agencies that don’t care about local connections or political cover. U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman made it clear: stealing from housing programs meant for the poor is a crime with consequences. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacques S. Pierre prosecuted the case, proving that even quiet corruption doesn’t stay buried in Jersey.