Former Passaic Mayor Sammy (Samuel) Rivera sentenced to 21 months

From the office of US Attorney Chris Christe: Passaic Mayor Samuel “Sammy” Rivera pleaded guilty to attempted extortion, admitting that he accepted a bribe from a government cooperating witness who was representing an undercover insurance brokerage company in return for his official assistance in steering public contracts to the undercover company.

Samuel “Sammy” Rivera, 61, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson to one count of extortion under color of official right.

Rivera was arrested on Sept. 6, 2007, along with 10 other public officials and one private citizen. The arrests were part of a public corruption investigation that progressed from southern to northern New Jersey.

“By his own conduct, Mr. Rivera added himself to the growing roster of corrupt public officials in New Jersey,” said Christie. “The citizens of Passaic deserved better.”

At his plea hearing, Rivera admitted that on Aug. 13, 2007, he accepted a $5,000 corrupt cash payment from a government cooperating witness. Rivera acknowledged that the payment was in exchange for using his official influence in attempting to designate the undercover company as the City of Passaic’s insurance broker of record.

Rivera admitted that he agreed to use his official influence to assist the company in obtaining additional insurance brokerage business with the Passaic Housing Authority, Passaic Board of Education and the Passaic Valley Water Commission.
Rivera also admitted that on Aug. 29, 2007, he arranged and attended a meeting between key Passaic officials and members of the undercover company, where he advocated in favor of the undercover company’s business ventures.