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Frank Valvano admitted bribing Carmelo Garcia – who served as deputy mayor and director of the Newark Department of Economic and Housing Development and executive vice president and chief real estate officer of the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation in exchange for Garcia’s assistance with the acquisition and redevelopment of city-owned property.
Between 2017 and 2019, Garcia sought and received significant monetary payments and other benefits from multiple businessmen to advance real estate development matters, Sellinger said. Garcia obtained preliminary designation letters for two businessmen, Frank Valvano Jr. and Irwin Sablosky, and secured agreements to allow them to purchase properties for redevelopment, Sellinger said.
Garcia received high-end watches and chains from Valvano and Sablosky's pawnbroker and jewelry business, Sellinger said. In June 2018, Garcia received $25,000 in cash while in the restroom of a New Jersey restaurant, Sellinger said.
Valvano pleaded guilty in Newark federal court to two counts of an indictment charging him with honest services fraud and bribery and will be sentenced in April, Sellinger said.
Garcia previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the city of Newark and the NCEDC of Garcia’s honest services, honest services wire fraud, and receiving bribes in connection with the business of a federally funded local government and organization and is awaiting sentencing, Sellinger said.
Sablosky previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to honest services wire fraud and bribery and is awaiting sentencing, Sellinger said.
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