Since when is it news when a Jersey City official takes bribes?

Former JC building inspector pleads guilty to attempted extortion

Hudson Reporter

Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra, Jr. announced on Wednesday that a former Jersey City building inspector pleaded guilty to attempting to extort corrupt cash payments from contractors in Jersey City.

Randolph Condi, 39, of Jersey City, pleaded guilty to one-count criminal information charging attempted extortion before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler in Newark.

Condi is free on $100,000 bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for Sept. 14.

At his plea hearing, Condi admitted accepting cash payments in exchange for his agreement to expedite inspections and/or refrain from exercising his official duties as a building inspector concerning certain contracting projects being performed by government cooperating witnesses between July 2008 and January 2009.

The charge to which Condi pleaded guilty carries a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. However, under the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Condi faces a probable sentence of between 18 and 24 months in federal prison.

The building department here sucks! They contributed to a lot of the problems I still have with my house. It started when I hired a contractor to do a gut rehab on my house and I find out 8 months later that his checks bounced at the building department for permits. By that time it was too late. The contractor had already gutted my house and began construction. I did not know the contractor's finances was so messed up. He eventually walked off the job because he was not paying the subcontractors and I ended up being in litigation for 30 months. I eventually got money from the contractor but it was barely enough to cover the damage.

When the building department finally let me know 8 months later that my contractor's checks bounced, I asked them why they did not contact me sooner. Their response was, "well we called the contractor but he did not answer."

So much time has gone by while I was in litigation that the permits expired. After I settled out of court there were so many new people at the building department few people remembered my project and they would not accept the original approved drawings...especially since the old drawings had long been archived and they would not go back to look for them. Know I need to revise my drawings and pay for permits again.

I do not completely blame the building department for my problems with the contractor, but had they told me sooner that his checks were bouncing, I would not have let him start on my house.

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Not directly, but I'm in the middle-to-end of a big project and my general contractor told me this weekend that this guy did two of our inspections. There wasn't any funny business, but the city is probably going to send someone to double check that work. Even ignoring issues like this, JC is pretty awful when it comes to the building dept and inspections. We had cases where plumbers, who I was paying to be at my place all morning, left a huge sign on my front door saying "Please come around back for inspection" and the inspector falsely reported that no one was there. I pay way too much for building permits to put up with this BS.

I wish the FBI would shake the apple tree at cityhall to see what bad apples fall !

If they did, we would need State administrators in after the councillors fall on their heads and city officials following right behind.

I can't believe in this City we have had corrupt, unethical or convicted officials from the Mayor, Judges, Senior Police, Fire Officers, Hospital staff, Teachers, Priests, Council Officers and their staff etc etc - when will it stop and how can they ever regain public confidence ?

A major purge is needed to rid us of these disgraceful people whose salaries we pay. Fire them all!

This was just a dumb one. As I've heard it, the smart ones will only deal with an "expediter" who act as the go between, so they're only dealing directly with someone they know, and there's an arms length relationship with the victim, I mean, client.

He definitley isn't the only one and if anyone thinks they are getting shaken down by an inspector tape record or if possible videotape the interactions.

I hope this is a wake up call to both the JCBD and to us (the JC residents)
This has been going on for way too long and the Building depts in Hudson county really need to get shaken up.
They have caused people to lose lots of money, I hear horror stories of people going into foreclosure due to delays on the behalf of the building dept.
They are to be reported to the DCA. People please don't ever give a bribe out! report it...!
Most of these inspectors give homeowners issues without basis or without going by the Uniform Construction Code. Let's get smart, and if you are not sure find someone who knows the UCC inside out!
shame on the JC administration for ignoring this situation. City hall very well knows what's going on, but too many people are out making easy money.....I don't know this inspector but I do know he "ain't the only one!!"

My 2 cents!

i wouldnt mind the tax - just let me build a damn driveway! lol

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And probably paying the same tax as you do. Those with illeagal driveways pay the same tax as those without, and those with legal driveways pay more.

i guess this explains why all my neighbors have driveways but i don't . while this is newsworthy, it's hardly surprising

Has anyone had experience dealing with Condi?

FBI: Jersey City building inspector took bribes to look the other way
by Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal
Friday February 06, 2009, 12:26 PM

A Jersey City building inspector is out on a $100,000 bail after being recorded by the FBI extorting thousands of dollars in bribes from people doing renovations, officials told The Jersey Journal.

In exchange for the cash, which he called a "gratuity,'' Randolph J. Condi would look the other way when it was inspection time, officials charge.

Condi extorted thousands of dollars "under the color of official right" in exchange for his official help in his capacity as building inspector with the Department of Housing, Economic Development and Commerce, Office of the Construction Code Official, according to the complaint provided by the US Attorney's Office yesterday.

During one recorded meeting with a cooperating witness doing construction work in Jersey City, Condi said the money was "not a requirement" but it "makes it easier for you. ... If you show gratitude we love it. ... If you're giving me a gratuity because I made your life easier, fine," according to the complaint.

In the case of a second property, an apartment building on Stuyvesant Avenue, Condi first issued a fine because the work was being done without required permits and then took bribes and gave advice on how to proceed without permits, the complaint says.

Condi told the man doing the work that he could face a substantial fine but that he would make sure he was fined the minimum as long as the cooperating witness "would take care of him," the complaint says.

He then told the witness to not to applying for permits because it would "open up a can of worms," the complaint says.

Condi then stopped at the apartment building every few weeks to collect a $500 bribe, the complaint alleges.

In one instance when the man only had $400 to give him, Condi "told him he would have to do better," the complaint says.

Condi surrendered to federal authorities on Jan. 29 and was released after posting the $100,000 unsecured bail, federal officials said.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... _city_building_inspe.html