NEWARK, N.J.—Carmelo G. Garcia, a former Newark deputy mayor and senior city official, admitted to orchestrating a bribery scheme involving local businessmen, according to U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger. Garcia, aged 49 from Hoboken, New Jersey, entered his guilty plea to charges including conspiracy to defraud Newark and the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation (NCEDC), wire fraud, and receiving bribes.
Garcia collaborated with Newark business owners Frank Valvano Jr. and Irwin Sablosky to exploit his roles within the city’s economic development sectors. From 2017 to April 2019, he facilitated the acquisition and redevelopment of various city-owned properties, securing favorable outcomes for Valvano and Sablosky’s real estate interests. In return, Garcia received substantial bribes in the form of cash and luxury items, such as high-end watches and chains, from the businessmen’s pawnbroker and jewelry trade.
Evidence, including extensive phone records and text messages, detailed interactions and transactions among Garcia, Valvano, Sablosky, and other involved parties. In one notable incident in June 2018, Garcia, then acting as deputy mayor, was handed $25,000 in cash in a restaurant restroom, a transaction set up by Valvano.
The court documents also highlighted emails which outlined the official actions Garcia took to aid Valvano and Sablosky in return for bribes, betraying his official duties. Garcia’s crimes carry potential penalties of up to 20 years for the fraud charges and 10 years for the bribery charge, alongside hefty fines.
As part of his plea, Garcia agreed to forfeit the $25,000 received in the scheme and the jewelry acquired. His sentencing is scheduled for December 12, 2024. Meanwhile, the legal proceedings against Valvano and Sablosky are ongoing, with their innocence presumed until proven otherwise.