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| Chris Campos surrounded by friends, circa 2008 |
As you folks have heard by now, former Fourth Ward City Councilman Chris Campos was arrested yesterday, as reported in NorthJersey.com (read full article here.)
Campos and three others are charged with "conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, and one charge each of bank fraud and wire fraud" with if convicted, could face long prison terms.
According to Hudson County View:
"The conspiracy and wire fraud charges come with a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, while the wire fraud charge comes with a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, authorities said.
30 + 20 = uh oh
A wife and kids are plenty of incentive to take the shortest road home.
Hudson County View has posted an excellent summary of the criminal complaint. The full complaint is below.
GA has not read through it yet. I will and have more to say later.
In the meantime, there can be no doubt that a conviction means substantial jail time, so the question is, what will Campos do to take the shortest road back home?
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| Chris Campos stands by his man, Carmelo Garcia at Garcia's Farewell Party last January |
hmmmmm, i am guessing carmelo just went into a complete body sweat thinking about what Chris knows about him and could he turn state evidence
ReplyDeleteGarcia's not the only hoboken pol sweating tonight.
DeleteCan you imagine how bad it could bet if the FBI bothered to look at vote farming?
DeleteSometimes you get into business with people you think you know and innocently become a partner not know the inside 100 percent. Then because you are a partner you get blamed for something that you and no idea what was happening. Chris is innocent and God will be by his side. He does not deserve injustice. Chris is a wonderful guy and will not have to pay for something he did not commit. Prayers to him.
DeleteChris Campos always wanted to follow in Peter Cammarano's footsteps.
DeleteI hope the NYC police officer that was raked over the coals when he arrested City Council President Christopher Campos for DWI in Manhattan back in 2007 gets word of this.
ReplyDeleteThe complaint names only 4 "Straw Purchasers," notes two were recruited by Campos. One is called a "relative", the other...? And there were a total of 20...
ReplyDeleteWaiting for the obligatory "He's the only one like that, everyone else is on the up and up" a la Cammarano.
ReplyDeletePS. Handing out scratch-off tickets is worse.
CHRIS CAMPOS COME ON DOWN
ReplyDeleteIT'S TIME TO PLAY LET'S MAKE A DEAL.
Well look at that. Drinky Campos decided to quit facebook all the sudden. Wonder why? I guess that means Carmelo will have to do twice as much pontificating now.
ReplyDeleteFor all the harassment of all the people...Duh!!!!
DeleteUnfortunately another example of HUDCO graft on full display. Innocent until proven guilty it given the track record of the accused my money is on a conviction. Will he cop a plea and rat out other dirty rotten scoundrels? Will any of them be from Hoboken?
ReplyDeleteNo way he gets 30 years. My money is on 3-5 years. Would be great if he spills the beans on vote buying. One can hope. Garcia must be sweating it out something fierce. He used to be involved with mortgages. Nothing to see there. All's clear. Yeah right!
I'm with Kurt on the sentencing, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteDon't do the crime, if you can't do the time.
DeleteIf Christopher Campos is convicted, it would probably result in him being disbarred, the cost of defending himself and the any fines the court will likely impose will essentially finically wipe him and his family out. Any prison time would only add to his problem.
That said, Christopher Campos as a lawyer knew what he was doing was illegal and what the consequences would be if he was caught. That should and probably will work against him in court if he is convicted.
The most unforgivable part was the recruitment of others including family members who are now also on their way to being listed as felons. Not saying they were saints before - who knows. But he waved something in front of them and they went for it. Were they swayed by the fact that he's a lawyer and if he told them nothing would happen it had extra weight in their eyes?
DeleteScumbag either way.
Cammarano wasn't disbarred by NJ, so Campos may not be either.
DeleteHang on snoopy. Peter Cammarano was indeed disbarred by the N.J. Supreme Court as a result of his crimes. Google it.
DeleteYou're right. I had no idea that happened five years after the arrest. But better late than never.
DeleteWonder if the FBI has been looking into Garcia's mortgage practices and lead to this investigation.
ReplyDeleteOne way or the other, the guy is gonna cry like a little girl. He can do it in his cell or he can do it in an interrogation room when he spills the beans on every scumbag he knows.
ReplyDeleteScumbag either way. Hopefully a disbarred, homeless and pennyless scumbag when this is all over.
What's weird is that they charged only one of the supposedly 20 straw man donors. It seems like they knew who they were targeting and cut deals with the "little" guys to get a slam dunk case against their targets. Campos was clearly a main target.
ReplyDeleteIn Hoboken terms though Campos is ancient history so the only way this helps clean up Hoboken is if Campos has something to sell that both Preet Bharra in NY and Paul Fishman in NJ are interested in buying since he was charged in NY but the bodies Campos knows about are all buried in NJ.
The last time Paul Fishman had a chance to do something in Hoboken he let Patrick Ricciardi off with probation without getting anything in return, and like Campos Ricciardi knew where alot of Hoboken bodies were buried.
Let's hope the past isn't prologue.
You have to wonder if Garcia is somehow involved or the target of the Feds investigation. Wasn't there a rumor he fled the country a while ago while at the HHA because the Feds were looking for him? Wonder if he turned informant and thats why he was MIA.
ReplyDeleteokay hold on.....This horrible situation is about chris campos, and yet I see lots of people speaking about Carmelo Garcia? why? Listen, regardless of what you may all think, he is innocent until proven guilty. It's a horrible thing that's happening and I'm quite sure we aren't perfect so stop pointing fingers. If anyone of you is so perfect throw the first stone....
ReplyDeleteThe well known. long term symbiotic relationship between Christopher Campos and his close political allie, employer and friend Carmelo Garcia makes the connection fair.
DeleteAnyone else finds it weird that Carmelo won't even publicly defend his "chief of staff"? Makes you wonder if he's CW1 in the criminal complaint.
ReplyDeleteor CW-2! He's not talking to press!
DeleteDoes anyone have an update on when the trial for this will be? Any updates since the arrest?
ReplyDeleteTales from the Dark Side. Campos convicted.
ReplyDeleteI don't really know the process. I assume you start by hoping you can win outright, then if you don't you proceed to exploring other options for leniency. I read someplace that he had a high-end lawyer. Legal fees and fines will overwhelm the ship of state, not to mention the absence of a doting father to three small children. Now is not the time to play the fool tough guy and clam up. But who knows what if anything he has to offer that a prosecutor would want.
ReplyDeleteI think after Campos is sentenced people can better gage if he something to barter with or not. He will likely be debarred like his fellow former Team Roberts, Councilman Cammarano was after his conviction.
ReplyDeleteDoes any one knows the sentencing??.. I was one of those so called "wire" victims, and so was my 2 aunts.. till these day the struggling with financial issues and bankruptcy!.. it's being hell...
ReplyDeleteAlex J Campos is related to this?
ReplyDeleteNope, dunno who that is.
DeleteSorry to juniorgamer123 r, I did not see your comment until now. The 2 years-late answer is 30 months. See:
https://www.nj.com/hudson/2017/12/7m_cab_leasing_scheme_leads_to_prison_for_former_h.html