Former Newark Mayor On Trial For Fraud

In a wide-ranging federal indictment, former Newark Mayor, Sharpe James, is accused of improperly helping a Newark public relations executive in a series of favorable land deals.

Federal prosecutors have argued that Mr. James’s relationship with Ms. Tamika Riley was the prime motivation for what they said was his help in steering nine city-owned properties to her. She bought the properties through an urban revitalization program for a total of $46,000, in three purchases over four years, and resold them for $665,000.

In return, Mr. Kwon said, Ms. Riley carried on a relationship with Mr. James, in which she gave him $5,000 worth of boxing tickets and accompanied him on trips to the Caribbean.