A New Jersey businessman and Democrat power broker has been indicted on charges related to his alleged leadership of a criminal enterprise since at least 2012.
State prosecutors say George Norcross III and his associates engaged in racketeering, extortion, official misconduct, and other crimes over at least the past decade to enrich themselves and expand their political influence, particularly in the city of Camden, New Jersey, which sits directly across the Delaware River from Philadelphia.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin announced the charges in a June 17 press conference.
The 111-page indictment portrays a culture in which Mr. Norcross and his brother Philip Norcross—along with associates John O’Donnell, William Tambussi, Sidney Brown, and former Camden Mayor Dana Redd—allegedly conspired to steer lucrative tax credits, real estate deals, and government contracts to companies and individuals allied with their interests.
“This indictment alleges that a group of unelected private businessmen used their power and influence to get government at the state and local levels to aid their criminal enterprise and further its interests,” Mr. Platkin stated at the press conference.
Mr. Norcross attended the press conference and sat in the front row as the attorney general announced the indictment against him and others.
Mr. Platkin, also a Democrat, accused the “Norcross enterprise” of causing “great harm to individuals, businesses, nonprofits, the people of the state of New Jersey, and especially to the city of Camden and its residents.”
The indictment claims that Mr. George Norcross has exercised control of Democratic politics “throughout south Jersey, and beyond, by controlling the manner in which candidates are endorsed and supported by the local party apparatus and given preferential locations on the ballot, and through fundraising.”
The 68-year-old, who now resides in Florida, is an insurance executive and former member of the Democratic National Committee. He made headlines in November for being forcibly removed from a Philadelphia Eagles game for displaying a banner featuring the American and Israeli flag together.
Outside of the justice complex in Trenton, New Jersey, on Monday, Mr. Norcross told the press that he wanted to “go to trial” and added that Mr. Platkin “doesn’t want to try anything” and that the attorney general should “get down here and back up [his] words.”
Charges
The 13-count indictment unsealed on June 17 alleges that Mr. George Norcross and his associates—dubbed the “Norcross Enterprise”—obtained property and property rights on the Camden Waterfront which allowed them to collect millions of dollars in government-issued tax credits, and controlled and influenced government officials to further the interests of the enterprise.
The indictment claims that from as early as 2012 to the present, the enterprise used “its power and influence over government officials to craft legislation tailored to serve the interests of the enterprise, and with the cooperation of then-Camden Mayor Dana Redd and other officials, used parts of the city’s government to aid the enterprise in acquiring property and property rights for itself and others through coercion, extortion, and other criminal acts.”
Mr. George Norcross allegedly threatened a developer to relinquish property rights, enabling his associates to construct a residential building and obtain millions in tax credits in Camden.
The attorney general said in the press conference that Mr. George Norcross threatened a developer, telling the developer he would “[expletive] you up” if he didn’t relinquish his property rights so the Norcross Enterprise could build on the waterfront.
The Norcross Enterprise then allegedly conspired to have the city of Camden use eminent domain against the developer to gain leverage in negotiations.
Mr. Philip Norcross is also accused of pressuring nonprofits to partner with developers chosen by the Norcross family.
Another brother, U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross (D-N.J.), was not charged in the case.
Realm of Influence on Display
“The alleged conduct of the Norcross Enterprise has caused great harm,” Mr. Platkin stated in a news release. “That stops today. We must never accept politics and government—that is funded with tax dollars—to be weaponized against the people it serves. Today we reaffirm that no one in our state is above the law—period.”
The defendants are also charged with multiple counts of conspiracy, financial facilitation, misconduct by a corporate official, and official misconduct.
The years-long investigation included the attorney general’s office alongside the FBI’s Newark and Philadelphia field offices and other federal, state, and local law enforcement entities.
The defendants will be arraigned July 9 in Mercer County. They face up to 20 years in prison if convicted on the most serious charges.