Christie: 'another example of people putting private interests ahead of the public interest'

NEWARK - U.S. Attorney Chris Christie today announced the indictment of Bergen County Democratic Organization (BCDO) Chair Joseph Ferriero and former Bergenfield Borough Attorney and BCDO counsel Dennis Oury on eight counts of conspiring to defraud the Borough of Bergenfield.

"This is another example of people putting private interests ahead of the public interest," said Christie, referring to the two men who are tomorrow scheduled to appear before a federal magistrate here in Newark.

Never disclosing their owenership of a fledgling company called Governmenal Grants, according to the indictment, Oury and Ferriero allegedly received $25,016.97 and $27,538.04 respectively from the Borough of Bergenfield for helping the town receive a grant and loan package.

The rest of $128,625 the men received from the town they disbursed to "other individuals associated with Governmental Grants," the indictment says.

"No where did Ferriero and Oury disclose their ownership of Governmental Grants," said the U.S. Attorney. "They didn't file disclosure forms. Ferriero never told anybody. Disclosure would have put their greed into the light of day."

According to a release issued to the press moments before Christie appeared in his offices to detail the indictment, Ferriero and Oury allegedly "conceived of a plan to form a company called Governmental Grants Consulting (‘Governmental Grants’), that would be paid by Bergen County municipalities to assist these municipalities in obtaining state and local grant monies.

"According to the indictment, Ferriero indicated that Governmental Grants would be successful because he could use his ‘influence’ to help the municipalities ‘get a better result.’"

The indictment alleges that Oury did not disclose at a Jan. 1, 2002 Bergenfield Council reorganization meeting his ownership in Governmental Grants.

"Nonetheless," according to Christie, "Oury then allegedly went on to exercise his official power as borough attorney to further a grant-aided real estate purchase between Bergenfield and a private estate - all as Oury and Ferriero stood to gain personally from their ownership interests in Governmental Grants. Simultaneously, Oury billed Bergenfield for his work as borough attorney on the real estate acquisition."

The men will voluntarily surrender tomorrow, according to Christie.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE INDICTMENT

CLICK HERE TO READ THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S PRESS RELEASE