Jurors found the former Perth Amboy mayor guilty of mail fraud and misappropriation of campaign funds
Former Perth Amboy Mayor Joseph Vas, pictured above in a May 2009 photo, was found guilty of corruption today in federal court.PERTH AMBOY — Former Assemblyman and Perth Amboy Mayor Joseph Vas was found guilty today of receiving illegal campaign funds and lying to federal authorities.
Jurors in U.S. District Court in Newark convicted Vas of a scheme in which $25,000 cash from a developer was distributed to people who then wrote checks to Vas' ill-fated 2006 campaign for Congress.
The former four-term Perth Amboy mayor was found guilty of two counts of mail fraud relating to a 12-unit Perth Amboy apartment building Vas bought for $660,000 and quickly sold for $950,000. He was also found guilty of misappropriating Perth Amboy affordable housing funds to close the land deal.
Federal prosecutors argued Vas sealed the deal by promising the contractor who bought property $360,000 in city affordable housing funds.
Prosecutors also accused Vas of pressuring city officials to push through paper for the redevelopment funds.
Vas used $80,000 from land sale to finance is campaign, federal authorities said.
In all Vas was found guilty on five of the nine charges including two counts of mail fraud, misappropriating funds, accepting illegal campaign contributions and lying to federal authorities.
The once powerful Middlesex County politician, a successful businessman who took on entrenched party members to win city hall and a seat in the state legislature, still faces corruption charges from the state Attorney General's office.
Perth Amboy city Council President Ken Balut hailed the verdict as a victory for the city.
"I think it's a great thing for the city of Perth Amboy. People can see that the sins of the past have caused the problems we have today. This whole trial showed people were intimidated at work, and pressured to work for (Vas) and not for the city," Balut said.
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