Bloomfield Councilman Charged With Taking $15K Bribe

Authorities announced that a Bloomfield councilman has been charged with soliciting and accepting a $15,000 bribe from a local business owner.

According to the NJ Office of the Attorney General, 1st Ward Councilman Elias N. Chalet, 53, of Bloomfield, allegedly promised the business owner that he would use his position on the council to ensure that the township went ahead with its planned purchase of the man’s commercial property.

Authorities arrested Chalet on Monday night and charged him with second-degree bribery in official and political matters.

According to authorities, Chalet initially met with the business owner on Oct. 8 in front of Chalet’s real estate office on Broad Street in Bloomfield. Chalet allegedly told the business owner that the township’s planned purchase of his commercial property would only go through if the owner gave Chalet $15,000 in cash.

Authorities stated that during a subsequent recorded meeting on Oct. 21 at Chalet’s real estate office, the councilman again discussed that the business owner would pay $15,000 in return for Chalet making sure that the property would be purchased by the township.

Chalet and the business owner then agreed that the business owner would make an initial payment of $10,000, with the balance of $5,000 to be paid after the township purchased the property, authorities charged.

While Chalet initially asked that the business owner pay the cash through a middle man, both ultimately agreed that the payments would instead be made directly to Chalet. Chalet allegedly accepted the first cash payment of $10,000 from the business owner on Oct. 23 at Chalet’s real estate office, authorities stated.

Chalet was arrested Monday at his real estate office after he allegedly accepted the remaining $5,000 in cash from the business owner.

Chalet was initially lodged in the Essex County Jail with bail set at $100,000. He has since been released on bail.

According to prosecutors, the second-degree bribery charge carries a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison, including a mandatory minimum term of five years without parole, and a fine of up to $150,000.

Photo courtesy of the NJ Office of the Attorney General