Newark Expediter Pleads Guilty in Multi-Faceted Corruption and Fraud Scheme

Lamont Baxter admitted to bribing city officials, falsifying municipal documents, and fraudulently obtaining pandemic relief funds over a five-year span.

Lamont Baxter, 49, of Newark, pleaded guilty to seven federal charges related to a wide-ranging corruption and fraud scheme involving bribes to city officials, falsification of municipal documents, and fraudulent acquisition of federal COVID-19 relief funds, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney John Giordano.

Baxter entered his plea before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini, admitting to participating in a conspiracy to bribe public officials—including former Newark Councilmember Joseph A. McCallum, Jr.—as well as committing wire fraud and orchestrating document falsification schemes tied to real estate development and construction within the City of Newark. The admitted criminal conduct spanned from 2017 through August 2022.

Acting as an expediter, Baxter facilitated interactions between developers and Newark city agencies for permits, inspections, and official approvals. Prosecutors stated that during this period, Baxter conspired with developers to pay bribes to Newark officials to expedite official acts such as issuing Certificates of Code Compliance (CCC) and Certificates of Continued Occupancy (CCO). Baxter routinely used the phrase “taking care of” an official to signal when additional, unofficial payments were expected to secure favorable outcomes.

Beyond arranging bribes for others, Baxter admitted to falsely claiming a need to bribe a city official to secure a $10,000 cash payment from a developer, which he instead kept for himself.

Baxter also directly delivered more than $5,000 in cash bribes to then-Councilmember McCallum on behalf of a developer seeking assistance with real estate approvals. McCallum previously pleaded guilty in 2022 to wire fraud and other charges related to accepting bribes while in office and failing to report income on his taxes.

In addition to bribery, Baxter admitted to conspiring with others to create and distribute falsified municipal documents. These included fake CCCs, CCOs, and “cut-in cards,” which misrepresented that properties had passed required inspections. These documents were then sold to individuals who needed them to proceed with real estate transactions or secure utility services.

Baxter further participated in a scheme to defraud the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), obtaining over $40,000 in pandemic relief funds through fraudulent applications. Prosecutors allege that Baxter submitted applications using false information about business ownership and revenue, including one for a lounge he did not actually control.

The charges carry significant penalties: up to 10 years for bribery, 5 years for conspiracy to bribe, and up to 20 years each for wire fraud and related conspiracy charges. Each count also carries potential fines of $250,000 or twice the financial gain or loss, whichever is greater.

Sentencing is scheduled for August 12, 2025, at 11 a.m.

The investigation was led by special agents from the FBI Newark Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General.

All individuals named as co-conspirators in court documents are presumed innocent until proven guilty.