200:. The split verdict in Leona Beldini's case was hailed as a victory by both sides and may have cast doubt on the government's use of Solomon Dwek as an informant. Leona Beldini was represented by prominent defense attorneys Brian J. Neary and S. Emile Lisboa IV. During the trial, Dwek while working as an informant posing as a corrupt developer named "David Esenbach", appeared as a witness for the prosecution. Hidden camera films of him interacting with Beldini, were displayed as evidence. Dwek testified for five days, and got choked up during cross examination when asked whether he had any friends outside of FBI agents. Dwek also testified that he bribed his math teacher in high school in order to graduate. During the trial, it was revealed that the government hired a private contractor (a former F.B.I. agent) to conduct a wire tap of political consultant Jack Shaw's telephones. This same private contractor was hired by Dwek to provide security services and was paid $ 50,000 by Dwek. Dwek has been in hiding since his role as an informant became public. On March 19, 2010, defense attorneys for Leona Beldini filed a motion to overturn the verdict.
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On
October 18, 2012, Dwek was sentenced to six years in federal prison for his conviction on bank fraud charges. On October 19, he received a sentence of four years in state prison for the separate fraud charges before the New Jersey Superior Court in Monmouth County. He served the two prison terms
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On
October 20, 2009, Dwek pleaded guilty to federal bank fraud charges in US District Court in Newark, New Jersey and later that day pleaded guilty to "misconduct by a corporate official" in New Jersey Superior Court, Monmouth Vicinage in Freehold, New Jersey. Dwek was released on $ 10 million bond
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following his eventual release from prison after a future sentencing date. The Syrian Jewish community in
Monmouth County, New Jersey (where Dwek came from) was surprised that he became a government informant against other Syrian Jews, because the community has a long-standing unwritten policy of
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On June 21, 2011, Dwek was arrested for car theft and denied bail. At the time of the sentencing Dwek's lawyer noted that Dwek had six children, the youngest an eight-week-old baby. On July 14, 2011, the car theft charges were dropped. However, Dwek remained in the Essex county jail awaiting
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from a Syrian Jewish background. PNC bank, along with two other financial firms filed an involuntary liquidation petition on Feb. 9, 2007, that forced Dwek into a
Chapter 7 bankruptcy. He allegedly owes PNC $ 22.9 million, Washington Mutual $ 22.7 million, and Four Star Builders $ 58,388. The
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religious school which his parents founded. He was allegedly paid at least $ 200,000 annually, and possibly up to $ 500,000, while his wife was paid $ 100,000 as a
Secretary, although neither seemed to have any role in the school. The investors defrauded by Dwek were also members of the local
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Some of the business names used by Dwek included Dwek
Properties LLC, Corbett Holdings II LLC and SEM Realty Associates LLC (among many others under which Dwek owned a combined 316 area properties). At the time of his arrest by the
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until a scheduled prison sentencing date of
February 9, 2010. He was represented by lawyer Michael B. Himmel, who specializes in white collar criminal defense. On February 2, 2010, Deputy Mayor of
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Ex-Jersey City Deputy Mayor
Beldini's lawyer files brief that argues campaign contribution violations aren't a federal crime and her bribery conviction should be dismissed
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in which he stated that his son
Solomon was no longer welcome at his home. He also denounced the practice of acting as a government informant against other Jews.
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Asbury Park Press: "A money tree grows in
Brooklyn - Exclusive neighborhood home to largest Syrian Jewish community in U.S." by BOB CULLINANE
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The Jersey Sting: A True Story of Crooked Pols, Money-Laundering Rabbis, Black Market Kidneys, and the Informant Who Brought It All Down
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blanket solidarity. After Solomon Dwek's role as an informant became public, his father Rabbi Isaac Dwek gave a speech at the
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Given the fact that Dwek acted as an informant in Operation Bid Rig against individuals allegedly involved in
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community. Dwek was well respected and trusted due to the reputation of his parents, who founded a
515:"Update: Key government witness in ex-Secaucus mayor's extortion trial jailed after bail revoked"
305:"Prominent Monmouth County Real Estate Developer Pleads Guilty in $ 50 Million Bank Fraud Scheme"
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name Shlomo שלמה; born c. 1973) is an Israeli-American real estate investor who was convicted of
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First N.J. corruption trial in FBI sweep ends in split verdict, leaves future uncertain
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589:"Another sentence for Solomon Dwek: FBI informant gets four years for cheating bank"
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Split Verdict in Dwek Corruption Trial Has Both Sides Claiming a Measure of Victory
561:"FBI informant Solomon Dwek gets 6 years in prison for role in $ 50M fraud scheme"
174:. Those arrested by authorities included public officials, politicians, and three
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Dwek Bribed His Way Through Yeshiva, Rigged Auctions Held By His Father's Charity
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616:"Solomon Dwek, at center of big corruption sting, released early from prison"
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Dwek nearly breaks down when asked if he has any friends, outside FBI agents
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Sentenced to concurrent terms of six years (Federal) and four years (State)
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Beldini defense rests in N.J. corruption trial without calling witnesses
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An Inside Look at a Syrian-Jewish Enclave - The Jewish Daily: Forward
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Solomon Dwek Political Campaign Contributions 2006 Election Cycle
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Rise and Fall: Inside Solomon Dwek's Empire - Asbury Park Press
538:"Rental car charges against FBI informant Solomon Dwek dropped"
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on 2 of 6 corruption related charges stemming from the FBI's
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6 Children. Born c. 1996, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, and 2011.
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which resulted in the arrest of 44 people in the state of
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concurrently. In March 2015 he was released from prison.
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bankruptcy was converted to a Chapter 11 reorganization.
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Feds' Informant Testifies in Massive NJ Corruption Trial
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People from Ocean Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey
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Dwek Laundered $ 3 Million in FBI Sweep Snaring Mayors
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Carmiel, Oshrat and McNichol Dunstan (July 24, 2009).
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in 2006, he was taken into custody for a $ 50 million
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United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey
84:(Federal), misconduct by a corporate official (State)
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Secret Videos Aired in Jersey City Corruption Trial
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Israeli-American real estate investor and fraudster
438:Battle, Pat and Porter, David (January 28, 2010).
192:Leona Beldini, was convicted in Federal Court in
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214:United States Federal Witness Protection Program
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245:Sherman, Ted; Margolin, Josh (15 March 2011).
632:Attorney Michael B. Himmel - Official website
722:American businesspeople convicted of crimes
384:Conte, Michaelangelo (February 3, 2010).
672:American people of Syrian-Jewish descent
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303:Drewniak, Michael (October 20, 2009).
637:Operation Bid Rig - Asbury Park Press
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476:Millionaire, Patron and Now Informant
727:21st-century American businesspeople
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587:Spoto, MaryAnn (October 20, 2012).
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732:FBI informants convicted of crimes
712:American people convicted of fraud
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677:American people of Syrian descent
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559:Sherman, Ted (October 18, 2012).
474:Faheem, Kareem (July 23, 2009).
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64:Rabbi Isaac Dwek, Raizel Dwek
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251:. St. Martin's Publishing.
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339:Retrieved 2010-05-06.
314:Public Affairs Office
293:Retrieved 2010-05-06.
124:, a neighborhood in
97:(also known by his
481:The New York Times
410:The New York Times
172:Brooklyn, New York
717:Operation Bid Rig
517:. NorthJersey.com
500:The New York Post
427:FailedMessiah.com
219:Synagogue of Deal
198:Operation Bid Rig
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572:October 23,
544:11 December
521:11 December
190:Jersey City
661:Categories
233:References
168:New Jersey
158:involving
156:bank fraud
113:Born to a
82:Bank fraud
48:Pearl Dwek
204:Aftermath
122:Deal Park
115:Sephardic
61:Parent(s)
540:. nj.com
318:June 24,
160:PNC Bank
53:Children
139:yeshiva
462:NJ.com
391:NJ.com
372:NJ.com
354:NJ.com
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194:Newark
183:Arrest
103:felony
99:Hebrew
45:Spouse
308:(PDF)
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