NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - The former treasurer for Newark Mayor Ras Baraka[1]’s election campaign has admitted embezzling more than $220,000 by writing phony checks in the names of consultants and vendors for services that were never performed.
Frederick Murphy Jr.[2] pleaded guilty Tuesday to wire fraud, bank fraud and tax evasion. The 56-year-old Bloomfield man faces up to 55 years in prison when he’s sentenced Sept. 11.
Murphy[3] served the Baraka campaign between January 2014 and March 2017.
Federal prosecutors say Murphy[4] cashed the checks with the forged signature of the payees and his own as a double endorsement. He then reported them as legitimate campaign expenditures in quarterly filings with the state.
Murphy[5] also under-reported $102,954 in embezzled campaign funds on his personal income tax return for 2016.Copyright © 2018 The Washington Times, LLC. ...