Charges Dropped in N.J. Corruption Case - Philly.com
A federal judge has dismissed all charges against a defendant in New Jersey’s largest corruption case.
It was the second major legal victory in the case for former state Assemblyman Louis Manzo, who had run unsuccessfully for Jersey City mayor when he was arrested in July 2009. He was among 44 people charged in a sweeping federal investigation into international money laundering and political corruption.
Manzo initially faced counts of extortion conspiracy, but those charges were dismissed after a federal appeals court ruled he was improperly charged under rules meant for public officials.
Federal prosecutors then brought new charges against Manzo, including two counts of violating the federal Travel Act by meeting on Staten Island with an undercover informant who posed as a corrupt developer and one count of not reporting federal offenses committed by others in the alleged scheme. He also was charged with mail fraud.