1. new jersey
EssEx County
EX page 13 | Friday, July 15, 2011 | NJ.COM
Christie’s Iowa visit has people talking presidential bid. Page 34
Judge: “‘Keep it with you today and you’re gonna Veteran
Informant win, you’re gonna be governor.’” indicted
failed to Gov. Chris Christie recalling what Alex Panko told him when he was handed
one of Panko’s lucky Morgan silver dollars
in fraud
cooperate
Dwek cleared of theft
scheme
but still lied to FBI Man allegedly took
By Ted Sherman
kickbacks in Iraq
STAR-LEDGER STAFF By Jason Grant
The lie that sent Solomon STAR-LEDGER STAFF
Dwek to jail was all for naught. The former Army soldier
Dwek, whose bail was re- answered the call after Sept.
voked after misleading the FBI 11, 2001, enlisting, fighting and
about his arrest in Baltimore earning a Purple Heart after
over a failure to return a rental getting wounded in Iraq, his at-
car, was cleared yesterday of torney said yesterday.
all criminal charges in connec- Now the government is paint-
tion with the incident. ing John Alfy Salama Markus
But although the complaint as the lynchpin in a sweeping
in Maryland was dismissed, 54-count indictment unsealed
Dwek — the informant behind in federal court in Newark
the biggest corruption sting yesterday. The legal papers ac-
in New Jersey history — will cuse Markus and four others,
remain in custody. A federal including two Iraqi citizens,
judge ruled he violated his co- of running a bribery and kick-
operation agreement with the back scheme during which the
U.S. attorney’s office by lying to veteran fed two foreign compa-
his FBI handlers. nies confidential information
Dwek, 38, who wore a hidden so they could win millions in
surveillance camera for three construction and infrastruc-
years, was the key witness in a ture contracts.
sprawling FBI undercover op- According to the indictment,
eration that became known as Markus, a former Belle Mead
Operation Bid Rig III. resident, sent e-mail after e-
Posing as a corrupt devel- mail to co-conspirators mak-
oper, he offered cash bribes to ing his fraud clear. One e-mail
dozens of elected officials and quoted in the 79-page indict-
candidates for office to expe- ment reads:
dite phony real estate projects. “Mithaq(,) Attached is your
At the same time, he set up for- price and my price is $40,000[.]
mer business partners, five Or- I’ll take half when you sign the
thodox rabbis and others who contract and the other half
helped him launder millions when you sign the first invoice.
more through religious chari- John Salama”
ties and organizations.
Dwek’s role as an informer “He welcomes a full
came after he agreed to plead airing of the
guilty to an unrelated $50
SEE dwek, PagE 16 allegations.”
Michael Rogers, lawyer for John Alfy
Salama Markus
Son is held Markus, 39, was first charged
in death of
in October, along with an al-
leged co-conspirator. Prosecu-
tors said he used his former
Pa. couple position in 2007 and 2008 with
the Army Corps of Engineers
— a job he filled after serving
Randolph man, 40, in the war — to solicit bribes
in exchange for helping com-
arrested in home andrew mills/the star-ledger panies land lucrative construc-
By Dan Goldberg Alex Panko, owner of the Peterpank Diner in Sayreville, gives away Morgan silver dollars to those he feels need a tion contracts. At the time, he
STAR-LEDGER STAFF little bit of luck. Recipients have included Gov. Chris Christie and Panko’s nephew before his service in Iraq. faced up to 45 years in prison.
Colin Abbott told friends his But the indictment unsealed
Silver streak of luck
father and stepmother died yesterday brings three new al-
in fiery car crash and that the leged co-conspirators into the
New Jersey State Police had fold, vastly expands the counts
the remains of the Pennsyl- against Markus, alleges he
vania couple, neighbors said hauled in $4.2 million for him-
yesterday. self, says $50 million in corps
Police, however, tell a differ- Sayreville diner owner doles out contracts were involved, and
ent story. sets out the alleged fraud in
According to Butler County good fortune, one coin at a time painstaking and gritty detail.
Assistant District Attorney All told, Markus is now looking
A
Ben Simon, the Randolph man By Julia Terruso / STAR-LEDGER STAFF at a potential 591 years in fed-
killed Kenneth and Celeste mid the clink of glasses and the clat- eral prison.
Abbott and left their charred According to his lawyer, Mi-
bodies in the backyard of their ter of plates, a faint jingle rises as chael Rogers, Markus will fight
home in Brady Township, Pa. Peterpank Diner owner Alex Panko the charges to the end.
Abbott, 40, was arrested yes- shows the silver dollars, the coin of “This guy is not some whiny
terday in Morris County after his realm, he bestows on a select few patrons. little guy, this guy has been
State Police said they searched through a lot in his life,” Rog-
his home and found his step-
The Morgan silver dollars, named for de- ers said. “He has served his
mother’s wallet, along with signer George T. Morgan, pass from Panko’s country well. He is a very
a case for a .38-caliber hand- hand to the palms of those he has a special strong man. He is not intimi-
gun. He was charged with two feeling about — a small clientele at his Sayre- saed hindash/the star-ledger dated by the allegations or by
counts of murder and taken to Gov. Chris Christie shows the silver dollar the return of the indictment it-
the Morris County jail, where
ville diner who are in dire straits or perhaps he keeps with him in his pants pocket ever self. He welcomes a full airing
he awaits extradition, State Po- headed straight to the top. since he won the governorship. of the allegations.”
lice Capt. Frank Davis said. Yesterday’s indictment al-
“We are in the process of Call it a side order of luck: Panko’s coins have along party lines, is readying himself for this elec- leges Markus’ scheme in-
preparing the necessary pa- lined the finely tailored pockets of Gov. Chris tion season. He doesn’t expect a big crowd of can- volved conspiring with Onisem
perwork, charging the defen- Christie and the utilitarian uniforms of a U.S. sol- didates at the Peterpank, but he’s prepared to vet Gomez, a 32-year-old U.S.
dant with being a fugitive from dier. Close friends have carried them, as has for- them before he dishes out a lucky token. citizen living in Panama who
justice, which will start the ex- mer congressional candidate Anna Little, who “I can’t just hand it to anybody because chances worked with the Army corps
tradition process,” said Capt. lost her race but nonetheless considers herself are they’ll win,” Panko said. “I’ll pull them aside, as a project engineer in north-
Jeffrey Paul, a spokesman for more fortunate for having the silver buck in her talk to them, and if they sound like they’re doing ern Iraq; Ammar Al-Jobory, a
the Morris County Prosecu- possession. the right thing, working for the people, then I’ll 33-year-old Iraqi citizen who
tor’s Office. Now Panko, who says he doesn’t distribute coins SEE Coin, PagE 16 was employed under a corps
SEE Son, PagE 16 SEE Fraud, PagE 16
ALL NEW SHOWROOM IS NOW OPEN!
33MPG
HWY †
New 2011
VolkswageN JeTTa s Princeton
$
179
Lease
per mo. VOLKSWAGEN
36 mos.*
4-Dr., Auto, 4-Cyl., PB/S/W/Lks/Mirrs., Air, Dual Air Bags, Keyless Ent., Alarm, CD. VIN 902 STATE RD. (RT. 206)
PRINCETONVW.COM •CAll 609-921-6401
#BM389810. Stk. #A14397. MSRP: $18,600. Lease: $1,395 Dwn. Pyt. $179 1st Mo.
Pyt. $0 Sec. Dep., $625 Bank Fee= $2199 Due At Incep; Ttl. Pyts: $6444; Ttl. Cost:
$8464; P/Optn At Lease End: $10,591. Mi. allow: 12,000 mi/yr. 20¢ p/mi. thereafter.
Prices incl all costs to be paid by consumer except for lic. costs, reg. fees, taxes doc. Fees. *Based on closed end lease w/primary lender
approval. Lessee resp. for excess wear/tear. Offers expire 7/31/11. †EPA estimated. Actual mileage may vary. See dealer for details.