Jeanmarie Zahore, Corruption, New Jersey 2020

A Union County, New Jersey man pleaded guilty to making corrupt payments to a public official of the City of Orange Township, New Jersey, in connection with a municipal project, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Jeanmarie Zahore, 56, of Rahway, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to Count 1 of an indictment against him, charging Zahore with making corrupt payments to an agent of a local government receiving federal funds.

The corrupt payments were made to Willis Edwards III, the former acting business administrator for Orange, who was charged in a superseding indictment in connection with payments allegedly made by Zahore, as well as other charges.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Zahore was the sole owner of JZ Nettech, a computer consulting business which he operated out of his residence in Rahway. On Sept. 15, 2015, the Orange City Council passed a resolution awarding JZ Nettech, without competitive bidding, a $350,000 emergency contract to install a computer networking system at a municipal complex that housed the Orange Municipal Court and the Orange Police Department.

Edwards, as an Orange public official, assisted Zahore in obtaining the contract for the Municipal Complex Project and facilitated the payment of money from Orange to JZ Nettech in connection with the Municipal Complex Project.

Zahore received a check from Orange for $115,000 payable to JZ Nettech and deposited that check into JZ Nettech's bank account. He also received two additional payments from Orange in connection with the Municipal Complex Project, one for $140,000 and the other for $95,000.

Zahore made two cash payments to Edwards, totaling approximately $20,000, as a reward for Edwards's assistance in connection with the Municipal Complex Project.

The charge to which Zahore pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the pecuniary gain to the defendant or loss to the victims.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 3, 2021.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/union-county-man-admits-making-corrupt-payments-city-orange-public-official