White Collar Crime News

Pension padding attorneys may face criminal, civil and ethics charges for not doing work December 15, 2009

New Jersey Inspector General has released a report that paints a really bad picture of Gloucester County attorney Michael Angelini who has worked for state, county and municipal governments over a 27-year period.  He has held as many as seven public jobs at one time which has boosted his annual anticipated public pension payment to more than $100,000. 

The problem with all of that is that the IG says that the investigation revealed that Angelini did not serve as a employee, but rather an independent contractor because “attorneys from his law firm handled the work in his stead and also performed other legal work for the government entities suggesting that the entities hired a law firm not an employee”.  As a result, the IG is of the opinion that he is not eligible for state pension enrollment.

Even worse than that though is that IG Coopers says that she will forward her findings to the state Division of Pensions, as well as the Division of Criminal Justice, the State Ethics Commission, the Division of Taxation, the Office of Attorney Ethics, and other state departments because she has no power to bring any action against him. 

You have to wonder how much of this is related to politics.  Angelini was key to former Senator Wayne Bryant during his federal corruption trial.  With a Republican administration coming in soon, this could be big trouble  for Angelini.  With a massive budget gap, Gov. Christie could be looking to not only make an example out of Angelini but of others as well so save money on pension costs. 

Story is here.