Louis Manzo, Ronald Manzo are NJ Politicians Arrested in FBI Sting

Louis Manzo and Ronald Manzo are NJ politicians arrested this week in an FBI sting know as Operation Bid Rig III. The two brothers, Lou, a former mayoral candidate and Ronald, Lou's brother and political adviser are alleged to have taken money from an FBI cooperating witness.

Louis Manzo
 

Lou Manzo, 54, is a New Jersey Democrat politician who has tried five times to become mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey. He is a former Assemblyman and Hudson County Freeholder. He was indicted, along with his brother Ronald Manzo, for taking money for providing help with real estate development projects proposed by an FBI cooperating witness..."just in case he was elected mayor."

Ronald Manzo, 65, is alleged to have introduced Secacus mayor Dennis Elwell to an FBI cooperating witness, thought to be Solomon Dwek. Allegedly, Ron Manzo received $5,000 from the "cooperating witness." Both Louis and Ronald are formally charged with "conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right." The two accepted a combined $27,500 in three cash payments from the FBI cooperating witness.

According to the cooperating witness, he was told that giving money to Louis Manzo was "insurance" to secure Manzo's endeavors on behalf of the cooperating witness, in the event Manzo became mayor, which he did not. Michael Manzo was also charged in Operation Bid Rig III but he is not related to Lou and Ron. Photo courtesy of Reena Rose Sibayan/The Jersey Journal