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Kushner brother-in-law, 2 accountants indicted
NEWARK (AP) -- Three people were added as defendants Monday to a conspiracy and tax fraud case involving real estate partnerships controlled by Democratic donor and developer Charles Kushner.
A superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury added Richard Stadtmauer, 47, of Livingston, the vice chairman, managing partner, and vice president of the Kushner Companies, to the case.
It also added Stanley Bekritsky, 57, of Teaneck, a former partner at a Roseland accounting firm specializing in servicing the real estate industry; and Anne Amici, 44, of Point Pleasant, an accountant at the Roseland accounting firm. Stadtmauer is Kushner's brother-in-law, prosecutors said.
Robert Fink, Stadtmauer's attorney, said U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie "has twisted ordinary civil tax issues into a criminal indictment."
"For over three years, Mr. Christie has pursued Mr. Kushner, a well-known philanthropist, his family and his companies," Fink said. "That three-year investigation did not reveal any criminal wrongdoing by Mr. Stadtmauer, but that has not deterred Mr. Christie. Such a prosecution is vindictive and a shameful misuse of prosecutorial power that now, unfortunately, only a jury can stop."
Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, replied, "As we always do in this office, we will let our evidence and our record speak for itself."
The original indictment was returned on April 11, 2005, and charged only Marci Plotkin, 49, of North Caldwell, who was an accountant employed by the Roseland accounting firm. She faces the same 31 counts as in the original indictment.
It charges that all of the defendants conspired in a scheme to mischaracterize $5 million worth of charitable and political contributions, capital items and gift-and-entertainment charges as business expenses.
Kushner, a real estate mogul and national and state political contributor, was sentenced on March 4, 2005, to a 24-month prison term for his conviction on charges of assisting in the filing of false tax returns, retaliating against a cooperating witness and making false statements to the Federal Election Commission. He was recently transferred from a federal prison camp in Alabama to a Newark halfway house.
Amici's lawyer, Edward Plaza, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
Kushner brother-in-law, 2 accountants indicted
NEWARK (AP) -- Three people were added as defendants Monday to a conspiracy and tax fraud case involving real estate partnerships controlled by Democratic donor and developer Charles Kushner.
A superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury added Richard Stadtmauer, 47, of Livingston, the vice chairman, managing partner, and vice president of the Kushner Companies, to the case.
It also added Stanley Bekritsky, 57, of Teaneck, a former partner at a Roseland accounting firm specializing in servicing the real estate industry; and Anne Amici, 44, of Point Pleasant, an accountant at the Roseland accounting firm. Stadtmauer is Kushner's brother-in-law, prosecutors said.
Robert Fink, Stadtmauer's attorney, said U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie "has twisted ordinary civil tax issues into a criminal indictment."
"For over three years, Mr. Christie has pursued Mr. Kushner, a well-known philanthropist, his family and his companies," Fink said. "That three-year investigation did not reveal any criminal wrongdoing by Mr. Stadtmauer, but that has not deterred Mr. Christie. Such a prosecution is vindictive and a shameful misuse of prosecutorial power that now, unfortunately, only a jury can stop."
Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, replied, "As we always do in this office, we will let our evidence and our record speak for itself."
The original indictment was returned on April 11, 2005, and charged only Marci Plotkin, 49, of North Caldwell, who was an accountant employed by the Roseland accounting firm. She faces the same 31 counts as in the original indictment.
It charges that all of the defendants conspired in a scheme to mischaracterize $5 million worth of charitable and political contributions, capital items and gift-and-entertainment charges as business expenses.
Kushner, a real estate mogul and national and state political contributor, was sentenced on March 4, 2005, to a 24-month prison term for his conviction on charges of assisting in the filing of false tax returns, retaliating against a cooperating witness and making false statements to the Federal Election Commission. He was recently transferred from a federal prison camp in Alabama to a Newark halfway house.
Amici's lawyer, Edward Plaza, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
posted by Jones Lang LaSalle NJ News Blog at 12:28 PM
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