John Nicodemo Archives - New Jersey Globe

State’s seven-year case against Jason O’Donnell will end without conviction

September 11, 2026 10:48 amSeptember 12, 2026 5:18 pm

A nearly seven-year criminal prosecution launched by the then-fledgling Office of Public Integrity and Accountability is nearly over without a trial, conviction, or admission of guilt, after state prosecutors agreed to let former Assemblyman Jason O’Donnell (D-Bayonne) enter a one-year...

N.J. will shutter embattled public corruption office

September 3, 2026 3:47 pmSeptember 4, 2026 1:29 am

Attorney General Jennifer Davenport will close the embattled Office of Public Integrity and Accountability and return responsibility for prosecuting public corruption to the Division of Criminal Justice, ending a controversial eight-year experiment that produced accusations of prosecutorial misconduct, years-long delays,...

Appellate court sides with Jason O’Donnell, tells OPIA to turn over evidence

July 30, 2026 9:41 amJuly 30, 2026 11:20 pm

An appellate court has narrowed a sweeping discovery order in the bribery case against former Assemblyman Jason O’Donnell (D-Bayonne), but directed the Attorney General’s Office to turn over internal communications concerning a key recording at the center of the eight-year-old...

OPIA knew over two years ago that Gloucester official wasn’t being charged, but said nothing

July 20, 2026 12:26 amJuly 20, 2026 2:55 pm

The embattled state Office of Public Integrity and Accountability decided over two years ago that it would not prosecute Gloucester County Fire Marshal Shawn Layton for the death of two dogs in his county vehicle in 2022, but opted to...

Charter school founder seeks PTI after prosecutors reverse course in old Nicodemo case

July 14, 2026 11:50 amJuly 14, 2026 2:10 pm

Peter Caporilli, the founder of an Atlantic County charter school who was indicted in a case brought by disgraced former Deputy Attorney General John Nicodemo of the embattled Office of Public Integrity and Accountability, is seeking admission into New Jersey’s...

Ex-Morris freeholder gets probation, no jail, in bribery scheme

February 13, 2026 1:23 pmFebruary 13, 2026 3:14 pm

It’s been more than six years since John Cesaro was charged with bribery, and the saga ended today when the former Morris County Freeholder was sentenced to three years probation and no jail time. Superior Court Judge Peter Tober rejected...

OPIA destroyed cell phones of investigators in corruption sting operation

June 26, 2025 5:03 pm

The embattled Office of Public Integrity and Accountability has destroyed the cell phones of detectives who investigated a nearly six-year-old bantam public corruption case against former Assemblyman Jason O’Donnell (D-Bayonne), even though investigators used those phones to send text messages...