I'm quaking in my boots:
Feds search Sanzari's offices in 2 towns
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Last updated: Saturday November 20, 2010, 8:12 AM
BY MICHAEL GARTLAND
The Record
STAFF WRITER
Federal law enforcement officials searched the offices of Joseph M. Sanzari Inc. on Thursday, according to a law enforcement source.
Henry E. Klingeman, an attorney for Sanzari, one of the largest public contractors in New Jersey, confirmed in a written statement Friday that "yesterday, the government required Joseph M. Sanzari Inc.-affiliated companies to provide documents and information concerning an unrelated business with which Sanzari had a contractual relationship several years ago."
Sanzari's headquarters on West Franklin Street in Hackensack and a facility in North Bergen were searched, the federal source said on condition of confidentiality.
The source said Friday that FBI agents, as well as officials from the U.S. Labor and Transportation departments, conducted the searches. The source did not know whether anything was taken.
"Sanzari has cooperated fully with the government's legal requests for information and will continue to cooperate fully with the government's legal requests for information," wrote Klingeman, a partner in Newark-based Krovatin Klingeman. "In the meantime, Sanzari will not comment further about this investigation, which the government intends to be confidential."
Joseph Sanzari, the president and CEO of Joseph M. Sanzari Inc., is a regional leader in highway construction. He is the president of North Bergen Recycling, Sanzari/Nicoletti Demolition and Containers, Sanzari-Shin LLC, Joseph M. Sanzari Building Corp. and Sanzari Marine Cos. Inc., according to the company's Facebook page. He also served as the board chairman of the Bergen County Economic Development Corp.
His companies took in more than $380 million in three years through contracts with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, NJ Transit, the Xanadu developers and other entities, according to a 2009 analysis of the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission's pay-to-play databank. His companies and employees also contributed more than $100,000 to political campaigns and political action committees from 2007 to 2009, according to state records.
"Joseph M. Sanzari has a long and successful history of public work and public service," Klingeman said in his written statement. "Sanzari has no reason to believe that its personnel acted in any way but with the utmost propriety. Consequently, Sanzari will continue to perform its business and civic obligations, carrying on business as usual."
E-mail: gartland@northjersey.com
