John Nicodemo Archives - New Jersey Globe

Matt O’Donnell ex-law partner pleads guilty in straw donor scheme

April 13, 2021 9:33 amApril 13, 2021 2:33 pm

Elizabeth Valandingham, the former law partner of the state’s cooperating witness in a state corruption probe, entered a guilty plea for her role in a straw donor scheme involving pay-to-pay violations. Valandingham practiced law with Matt O’Donnell until the firm...

State allowed cooperating witness to bill taxpayers millions after admitting to crime

April 9, 2021 12:01 amApril 9, 2021 11:10 am

Attorney General Gurbir Grewal permitted the state’s cooperating witness in a corruption probe, Matthew O’Donnell, to bill millions of dollars in fees to municipal and county governments as a tax appeals attorney even after admitting to crimes that could result...

O’Donnell straw donor to enter PTI after cooperating with prosecutors

April 6, 2021 10:11 am

Christopher Brown, one of the alleged straw donors used by the state’s cooperating witness in a political corruption probe, is set to join the Pretrial Intervention (PTI) after agreeing to assistant prosecutors with their investigation. Brown is the brother-in-law of...

Prosecutors say there are ‘ongoing investigations’ related to Matt O’Donnell

April 1, 2021 2:04 pmApril 1, 2021 10:05 pm

A Superior Court Judge today sealed a list of potential targets in a state corruption probe, including a list of individuals cooperating witness Matthew O’Donnell offered to contact and a list of people prosecutors asked O’Donnell to connect with. Deputy...

Attorney General seeks to seal court records in case connected to Matt O’Donnell

March 29, 2021 12:08 amMarch 29, 2021 4:34 pm

New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal has moved to seal court records in a motion to dismiss an indictment against a former Hudson Council official, augmenting the mysterious circumstances related to Matthew O’Donnell, the state’s cooperating witness in a political...

Mary Dougherty gets probation in resolution to peculiar Matt O’Donnell sting operation

March 18, 2021 10:01 am

Mary Dougherty, one of four surprisingly small fish political figures charged in the bizarre Matt O’Donnell sting operation in 2019, was sentenced to one-year of probation on Thursday morning by Superior Court Judge Stephen Taylor. Dougherty pleaded guilty to a...

Matt O’Donnell entered into plea agreement in June 2018, but state still allowed him to bill government clients

February 16, 2021 1:03 pmFebruary 16, 2021 5:15 pm

The state’s cooperating witness in a small fish corruption sting operation continued to practice law and bill public entities for two years despite entering into a plea agreement in June 2018, lawyers said in a Superior Court hearing this morning...