Al-Tarik Onque, a former senior aide to Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, has pleaded responsible to accepting bribes in change for metropolis permits, based on the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace for the District of New Jersey.
Onque, 49, pleaded responsible to conspiracy to commit trustworthy providers fraud in connection to a scheme wherein he supplied property house owners “expeditated acquisition of [permit] documents in exchange for payments of cash bribes,” prosecutors introduced Thursday.
Throughout his time as Baraka’s senior aide, “Onque primarily responded to constituent complaints, performed constituent services and worked with organizations in the community,” the Justice Division stated in a press launch.
Between January 2020 till round December 2022, Onque used his place at Metropolis Corridor to solicit money to hurry up the method for constructing house owners attempting to accumulate a Certificates of Code Compliance (“CCCs”) or Certificates of Occupancy (“COs”) for a number of properties in and round Newark.
Below Newark laws, a CCC needed to be obtained earlier than an proprietor might make sure modifications to occupancy, whereas a CO was required to make sure a constructing or premises glad metropolis code necessities.
“This is a clear example of a pay-to-play scheme, where public officials exploit their positions of power to obtain bribes in exchange for doing their jobs,” Performing U.S. Lawyer Alina Habba stated in a social media submit when saying Onque’s plea.
Onque faces a most penalty of 20 years in jail and a $250,000 nice. He’s scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 15, 2026.
In line with the Jersey Vindicator, Onque was employed as an aide by then-mayor Cory Booker in 2007 after he based the anti-violence group Cease Shootin. Onque, a former gang member, had beforehand spent 5 years in jail after capturing a person in every leg over unpaid money owed, although he claimed to have given up his prison methods.
Initially Printed: September 4, 2025 at 9:09 PM EDT
