Newark ex-mayor Sharpe James is convicted of fraud

[Mugu]

Jeff Whelan and John P. Martin/The Star-Ledger via NJ.COM

A federal jury today convicted former Newark Mayor Sharpe James of fraud for conspiring to rig the sale of nine city lots to his mistress, who quickly resold them for hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit.

Ending a five-week trial, the jury returned its verdict in a courtroom just a block from the City Hall office that James occupied for two decades. Less than an hour into its sixth day of deliberations, the jury found James guilty on all five counts he faced.

James' co-defendant and former girlfriend, Tamika Riley, was also found guilty on those five counts and eight others, including tax evasion.

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James joins a long list of New Jersey politicians convicted of corruption in recent years, including former State Senate President John Lynch, county executives James Treffinger of Essex and Robert Janiszewski of Hudson and dozens of mayors, freeholders and council members.



Complete article

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. He deserves it.