A federal grand jury has indicted the mayor of New Jersey's capital city on corruption charges.
Trenton Mayor Tony Mack, his brother and an associate are accused in an eight-count indictment of extortion, bribery, and mail and wire fraud.
New Jersey's U.S. attorney's office says the charges are related to an alleged scheme to accept $119,000 in bribes in exchange for Mack's influence in the development of a garage on city-owned land.
The indictment was handed up Thursday in Trenton. Attorneys for each defendant did not immediately return calls seeking comments.
Mack has continued in his position despite a no-confidence vote by the Trenton City Council following his September arrest by federal authorities.
In September, Mack and at least six others including Joseph "JoJo" Giorgianni, a top campaign contributor were taken into custody. Giorgianni, Mack and the mayor's brother Ralphiel Mack were all indicted today.
In recorded conversations released at the time of their arrest, Giorgianni said, "I can be bought," "We want this," "I like to do it the Boss Tweed way, you know, Boss Tweed ran Tammany Hall," and "Tony knows when I'm in for a penny I'm in for a pound," according to a criminal complaint.
During the conversations, Giorgianni referred to Mack using the code name "Napoleon," the complaint said.
The indictments are the latest development in a federal investigation that began in 2010 into alleged corruption within Mack's administration, which has been marked by accusations of nepotism and reckless spending. In July, FBI agents searched offices in Trenton City Hall a day after raiding the mayor's home. They also searched the home of his brother, Ralphiel Mack, and that of Giorgianni.
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Mack's administration has been in turmoil from Day 1, staggering from one crisis to another. A housecleaning of staff at City Hall opened the door for Mack's own appointees, who quickly turned it into a revolving door. Some left over questions about their credentials, others to face criminal charges.
In Mack's first year in office in Trenton, a city of 85,000, he ran through a string of business administrators. The first resigned after a month, saying the mayor didn't believe in "good government." Another resigned just ahead of pleading guilty to embezzlement at another job.
Mack's housing director quit after it emerged that he had a theft conviction. His chief of staff was arrested trying to buy heroin. His half-brother, whose authority he elevated at the city water plant, was arrested on charges of stealing.
Questions have also been raised about how he financed his campaign for mayor.
A former longtime city employee sued the mayor late last year. The parks department employee said she was let go after refusing to dole out jobs for the mayor's friends, refusing to give federal grant money to people who didn't apply and for inquiring about city funds she said were missing.
The ex-employee also said she was replaced by a Mack supporter who never showed up for his $40,000-a-year job.
