James J. Peperno, Jr., Bribery and Money Laundering, Pennsylvania 2021

SCRANTON, PA – James J. Peperno, Jr., 57, of Old Forge, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 28, 2021, with various bribery, money laundering, and perjury offenses.

According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that Peperno solicited cash payments and debt forgiveness from a local business owner, to provide to Robert Semenza, Jr., the former President of the Old Forge Borough Council.

Peperno allegedly provided and promised cash and future employment to Semenza, in exchange for Semenza performing and promising to perform official acts, between November 2018 and October 2020.

In particular, the official acts were in connection with a civil litigation filed by Old Forge Borough against the local business owner, in a dispute over Old Forge zoning ordinances.

Peperno allegedly kept a portion of the cash payments paid by the local business owner, depositing them in a bank account in his parents’ name.

Peperno was charged with a bribery conspiracy, with two counts of federal program bribery, two counts of honest services wire fraud, violating the Travel Act, and two counts of money laundering.

Peperno also was charged with false statements and perjury, in connection with an outstanding restitution obligation owed from a prior federal conviction.

Peperno allegedly claimed, in a written filing and when testifying under oath, that he did not have any income or access to any bank accounts, despite receiving approximately $6,000 from the local business owner, some of which he deposited in his parents’ bank account.

Peperno is the second individual charged in this investigation. Robert Semenza, Jr., pleaded guilty in June 2021 to federal program bribery, and awaits sentencing.

The case was investigated by the Scranton Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Public Corruption Task Force, which consists of members of the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and federal agents from the FBI and Internal Revenue Service.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo.

Defendant Name: James J. Peperno, Jr.

Exact Criminal Charges: Bribery conspiracy, federal program bribery, honest services wire fraud, violating the Travel Act, and money laundering.

City and State: Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Exact Date: September 28, 2021.

Sentence or Outcome: Pending trial.

Dollar Amounts: Approximately $6,000.

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