Joseph “JoJo” Giorgianni pleaded guilty to two counts of extortion in federal court on Friday to giving Trenton Mayor Tony Mack an $8,000 bribe in 2012.

 

Joseph “JoJo” Giorgianni at court
Joseph “JoJo” Giorgianni hides his face as he leaves federal court in Trenton. (Brian McCarthy, On Scene News)
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The supporter of Trenton's embattled mayor admitted to giving him an $8,000 bribe in 2012 according to the Times of Trenton. Giorgianni said under oath that he acted as "buffer" between Mack and the "developers" of a parking garage that turned out to be part of a federal government sting.

The plea comes less than a month before his trial was to begin with Mack on corruption charges reports the Times of Trenton. It's not clear if the plea means he will testify against Mack in the trial.

An indictment in December, 2012 implicates Mack, his brother Ralphiel Mack, 40,  and  Giorgianni, in connection with a bribery scheme to accept $119,000 in exchange for Tony Mack’s influence in assisting with the development of an automated parking garage on city-owned land.

Giorgianni also pleaded guilty to a drug charge and a weapons charge in a separate drug case.  9 remaining counts in the two cases will be dismissed as part of a plea deal.

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