Union County Man Pleads Guilty To Bribing New Jersey Transit Employee

A 47-year-old New Providence man plead guilty in Newark federal court to paying bribes to a New Jersey Transit employee in exchange for landscaping contracts.

Raymond Rapuano is charged with one count of bribery, according to a press release from U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman.

According to documents in this case and statements made in court:

• Prior to March 2012, Rapuano had provided an individual who worked for New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) $3,500 in bribe payments for the purpose of obtaining work for a landscape company, RA Landscape & Design (RA), for which Rapuano worked.

• Around April 2012, Rapuano agreed to give NJ Transit employees 13 percent of the value of any work awarded by NJ Transit to RA. Rapuano paid an NJ Transit employee a total of $2,000 for $22,000 worth of workawarded to RA by NJ Transit.

The bribery charge to which Rapuano pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for March 18, 2015.