Leona Beldini

NEWARK, N.J. — The most eagerly awaited video release in New Jersey won't be showing in theaters, but will screen exclusively at a Newark federal courthouse, starting this week. With the first trial in New Jersey's largest ever corruption probe set to begin, the public finally will get to see Solomon Dwek in action: a government cooperator who secretly recorded hours of meetings at restaurants, diners and parking lots over two years, showing religious leaders, politicians and municipal...Read Full Story

Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini and Edward Cheatam, an official in both Hudson County and Jersey City, were charged today in a one-count Indictment with conspiring to extort corrupt cash payments, illicit political contributions, and other benefits under color of official right, in return for Beldini’s and an elected Jersey City official’s influence in Jersey City government matters, Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra, Jr., announced. Beldini, 74, and Cheatam, 61, both of Jersey...Read Full Story

Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini is one of 44 people arrested in a huge corruption investigation in New Jersey. The alleged corruption includes international money laundering and organ trafficking. The AP reported: The number of arrests was noteworthy even for New Jersey, a state that has seen more than 130 public officials plead guilty or be convicted of corruption since 2001. "New Jersey's corruption problem is one of the worst, if not the worst, in the nation," said Ed Kahrer, who...Read Full Story