Acting State Attorney General Cracks Down on Corruption [AUDIO]

New Jersey is no stranger to corruption. In recent years, there have been a number of arrests of elected officials with the latest happening just last week when Assemblyman Albert Coutinho pleaded guilty to theft charges after admitting that he cashed checks meant for his family's charitable foundation and used the money for himself.

Acting State Attorney General John Hoffman is warning those who are breaking the law that they will be caught.

"We at the Attorney General's office will continue to be vigilant in investigating any allegations of impropriety and we will continue to hold everyone to the same high standard. Just because you are an elected official doesn't mean that you'll be treated any differently or any other way than anyone else would be," said Hoffman.

"The focus is not necessarily on creating a bad name for politicians, but on the fact that we are aggressively and vigilantly pursuing these cases and making sure that we certainly find every instance of impropriety and that we prosecute it. I think New Jersey can feel confident that we are actively pursuing these cases. If it's out there, we are going to find it."

"The lesson here is that no one is above the law, including those charged with making the law," said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. "Through this prosecution, and others, we are enforcing a standard of integrity for public officials in New Jersey."

The Division of Criminal Justice Corruption Bureau has established a confidential toll-free Corruption Tipline 1-866-TIPS-4CJ. The public can also report suspected wrongdoing by following this website.

"It's very important to us that the state and the citizens here have faith in the Attorney General's office in making sure that our political system is as clean as can be," said Hoffman.