7/31/2019 Press Release Robert Warney guilty plea

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United States Attorney

District of New Jersey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Rebekah Carmichael

June 29, 2012 Office of Public Affairs

www.justice.gov/usao/nj (973) 645-2888

FORMER HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, N.J., OFFICIAL ADMITS LAUNDERING

BRIBE MONEY ALLEGEDLY PAID TO MAYOR

TRENTON, N.J. The former director of Community Planning and Compliance for

Hamilton Township, N.J., today admitted he laundered a $5,000 alleged bribe from an insurance

broker to township Mayor John Bencivengo, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Robert Warney, 46, of Hamilton, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G.

Sheridan to an Information charging him with one count of money laundering.

According to documents filed in this case and statements in court:

On May 12, 2011, while serving as the director of Community Planning and Compliance

for Hamilton Township, Warney accepted on Bencivengos behalf a $5,000 check from a

cooperating witness (the CW), and gave the proceeds of that check to Mayor Bencivengo in

cash increments over several weeks. At that time, the CW and the CWs employer provided

health insurance brokerage services to the Hamilton Township School District. Warney said that

he, Bencivengo, and the CW agreed to have the check made payable to Warneys spouse in order

to conceal the payment. They also agreed that if anyone asked Warney or the CW about the

check, they would say that the CW purchased a bedroom sent from Warneys spouse. A notation

Cherry Bedroom Set was put on the check to support that story.

On June 21, 2012, a federal grand jury indicted Bencivengo in connection with $12,400

in bribes he allegedly solicited and accepted in exchange for his official influence in helping the

CW maintain the position of health insurance broker with the townships school district

In pleading guilty today, Warney also admitted that in March 2006 and November 2007,

while serving as a member of the Hamilton Township Board of Education, he received corrupt

payments from the CW in exchange for his official action and influence in voting in favor of the

School Board entering into a three-year contract with the CW and the CWs employer for them toprovide health insurance brokerage services to the school district. Warney admitted that on

March 26, 2006, at a meeting of the school board, he voted in favor of entering into a three-year

contract with the CW and the CWs employer and that he received two payments of $5,000 in

March 2006 and in November 2007 $10,000 total from the CW in exchange for his official

action. Although not charged in the Information, this conduct will be taken into account by the

Court at sentencing.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/njhttp://www.justice.gov/usao/nj

7/31/2019 Press Release Robert Warney guilty plea

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The charge to which Warney pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 20

years in prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the

transaction, whichever is greater. As part of Warneys guilty plea, he agreed to forfeit the

$10,000 in bribes that he accepted in 2006 and 2007. Sentencing before U.S. District Judge

Anne E. Thompson is scheduled for Oct. 9, 2012.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBIs Trenton Resident Agency,

Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward, for the

investigation leading to todays guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Harvey Bartle of the U.S.

Attorneys Offices Special Prosecutions Division in Trenton.

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Defense counsel: William Hughes Esq., and John Corson Esq., Atlantic City, N.J.

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