Ex-State Worker Gets 5 Years for Bribery Scheme

A Camden County man who traded on his position to the tune of $1.86 million in bribes will spend the next five years in prison, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced Wednesday. 

Joseph Rivera, 56, of Winslow, received the sentence for his role in a bribery scheme. He pleaded guilty earlier to solicitation, acceptance of a bribe and tax evasion.

Prosecutors say Rivera used his job as a senior investigator with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Wage and Hour Compliance, to bribe temporary labor firms. In exchange for payment, Rivera offered his official assistance.

Rivera’s responsibilities included inspecting temporary labor firms in South Jersey for compliance with state wage and hour laws, taxes and workers’ compensation. Between 2002 and 2008, he accepted bribes from at least 20 firms.

Rivera even had a system, officials said, and would calculate the bribe payment by multiplying 25¢ by the total number of hours worked by the firm’s employees.

In exchange, Rivera would falsify records to indicate he had inspected a firm. He also recommended the firms to other businesses.

During the bribery scheme, Rivera also evaded taxes, officials said. For the 2007 tax year, he underreported his earnings by more than $400,000.

As part of sentencing, Rivera must forfeit money and property equaling the $1.86 million he gained through the bribes. The forfeitures include $120,400 in case, two Ocean City properties, a Florida property, a 2008 Lexus ES 350, eight gold bars and gold and silver coins.

Rivera also was sentenced to three years of supervised release following prison, plus $250,000 in restitution payments to the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development.