New Jersey state employee gets five years for bribery and tax evasion

Joseph Rivera, 56, of Winslow, had full-time work ensuring that temp firms complied with state wage and tax laws.

But it was his sideline that made it possible for him to afford two Shore homes, real estate in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., a luxury car, and several bars of gold.

Federal prosecutors said Rivera accepted $1.86 million in bribes from at least 20 owners and operators of temporary labor firms in return for his official help.

Rivera pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal district court in Camden to solicitation and acceptance of a bribe and tax evasion. He was immediately sentenced to five years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman.

Prosecutors said that between 2002 and late 2008, in exchange for the payoffs, Rivera refrained from inspecting the temporary labor firms and falsely certified that they were in compliance with state law.

He also recommended that other businesses hire the firms.

Rivera had his scheme down to a formula. Authorities said Rivera typically calculated the amount of a bribe by multiplying 25 cents by the total number of hours worked by a temp company's employees.

Rivera worked for the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, which oversees compliance with state wage and hour laws and with regulations regarding taxes and worker's compensation insurance coverage.

Authorities also said Rivera attempted to evade taxes on his illicit income. For the 2007 tax year, Rivera filed an individual tax return that claimed taxable income of $89,696 when his actual taxable income was $499,176.

Rivera agreed to forfeit money and property equal to $1.86 million, including $120,000 cash, the two Ocean City properties, a Fort Lauderdale home, a 2008 Lexus ES 350, eight gold bars, and numerous gold and silver coins.