Labor Investigator Sentenced for Accepting Bribes

A senior New Jersey Labor Department investigator who sought and accepted nearly $1.9 million in bribes from several temporary labor firms has been sentenced to five years in prison.

Joseph Rivera also was ordered Wednesday to pay $250,000 in restitution to the department. He's also agreed to forfeit two properties in Ocean City and another in Fort Lauderdale property, along with gold bars, $120,400 in cash and a 2008 Lexus.

The 56-year-old Winslow Township man pleaded guilty to a complaint charging him with tax evasion and solicitation and acceptance of a bribe.

Between 2002 and late 2008, Rivera took cash payment from at least 20 temporary labor firms across south Jersey. In return, he didn't conduct required inspections and falsely certified that the firms were in compliance with state law.

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