Menashe Davidovitz, the founder of 9Block, a real estate company that offers investing, construction, and management services in northern New Jersey, was charged for his role in a scheme to bribe City of Newark employees and for conspiring to sell law enforcement identification cards embossed with the insignia of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Davidovitz conspired with others from June 2024 to November 2024 in providing City of Newark employees with cash and other benefits in exchange for the employees’ official action in matters related to City of Newark properties that Davidovitz owned.
Specifically, Davidovitz paid bribes in order to obtain permits and certificates, including certificates of occupancy, which were required before his properties could be occupied or sold. Davidovitz also paid bribes to local officials for their help in resolving violations at his properties.
Further, from October 2021 through January 2023, Davidovitz worked with his co-conspirators, including Jonathan Ledesma, a former US Air Marshal, to sell “Law Enforcement Family Member” cards that identified their bearers as “family member[s]” of Ledesma, “a Federal Officer.” These cards were embossed with the apparent insignia of DHS as well as a QR code that was linked to Ledesma’s cell phone. Though Davidovitz was not authorized to sell the insignia of the DHS, or any colorable imitation of the insignia, he received approximately $30,000 in proceeds from the sale of these cards.
Davidovitz was charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery in connection with the business and transactions of a federally funded local government and organization. Davidovitz was also charged with one count of conspiracy to sell false seals and one count of conspiracy to sell official insignia.
Photo of Menashe Davidovitz via LinkedIn
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