George E. Norcross III, a powerful executive and political figure in New Jersey for decades, was indicted Monday on racketeering and related charges, the state attorney general announced.
The sweeping indictment alleges he led a criminal enterprise that used extortion to promote his vast business and political and philanthropic empire — in the process, illegally securing hundreds of millions of dollars in tax credits and rights to build developments on the valuable Camden waterfront, across from Philadelphia.
Attorney General Matthew Platkin says those efforts were aided by elected officials including then-Mayor Dana Redd, whose political career George Norcross nurtured, and who is also charged in the indictment. And the indictment additionally charges George Norcross’ brother Philip, a politically connected lawyer Platkin says helped write the legislation to secure the tax breaks.
George Norcross, a Democrat, is widely regarded as South Jersey’s most powerful political boss for the last 30 years. A third Norcross brother, Donald, is a congressman representing the 1st Congressional District.
The indictment has the potential to alter New Jersey politics, where county political bosses wield power over local, county and statewide elected officials. George Norcross is supporting his childhood friend, Stephen Sweeney, in the gubernatorial race next year. Sweeney, a Democrat and former senate president, has long benefited from campaign funds bundled by Norcross, and he helped to shepherd the tax break legislation. He is also repeatedly mentioned in the indictment, but not charged with any wrongdoing.
“Instead of contributing to the successes of the city of Camden, through a series of criminal acts alleged in the state's case, the Norcross Enterprise took the Camden waterfront all for themselves,” Platkin said in announcing the unsealing of the 111-page indictment at a press conference in Trenton Monday.
George Norcross, 68, dressed in a suit and visible by his trademark shock of white hair, sat in the front row at the press conference as Platkin announced his indictment. Immediately following the press conference, he denied any wrongdoing, claiming Platkin was only pushing the case “for his future aspirations, whatever they may be, or whatever he dreams they're going to be.”
“I want to go to trial in two weeks, he said. “I want Matt Platkin to come down here and try this case himself because he's a coward because he has forced people in this building to implement his will.”
Michael Critchley, George Norcross’ attorney, also said Platkin never interviewed Norcross or asked him to appear before a grand jury.
From 2012 to 2013, the indictment says, George and Philip Norcross strong-armed the passage of the Camden tax break legislation to kickstart a massive redevelopment on the most valuable land in the impoverished city. A WNYC and ProPublica investigation in 2019 detailed how at least $1.1 billion went to George Norcross’ own insurance brokerage, his business partnerships and charitable affiliations, and clients of the law and lobbying firms of Philip Norcross.
The Norcrosses are also accused of forcing a nonprofit developer, Cooper’s Ferry Partnership, to sell its rights to develop part of the waterfront for $125,000, instead of the millions that it could have made.
Both Conner Strong & Buckelew, the insurance company that George Norcross runs, and Cooper University Health Care, the hospital system that he chairs, later moved into new offices on the waterfront and sold the tax credits they got from the state for millions of dollars, according to the indictment.
“Through a pattern of extortionate and other criminal conduct, the Norcross Enterprise also sought to promote and maintain the business, political, and philanthropic power and reputation of George E. Norcross, III and other Enterprise members and associates,” the indictment states,
George Norcross is a largely behind-the-scenes political force whose political dealings have been investigated by state authorities before, but who has never been charged with a crime. He moved to Florida several years ago, but continues to wield influence in New Jersey politics.
The indictment also charges George Norcross’s longtime attorney, William Tambussi, who has represented political figures and government agencies in New Jersey for decades.
Two business executives with financial interests in Camden, Sidney R. Brown, CEO of NFI, a trucking and logistics company, and John J. O’Donnell, an executive at The Michaels Organization, were charged as well. In addition to racketeering, each of the defendants is charged with conspiracy to commit theft by extortion, criminal coercion and official misconduct.
Platkin said George Norcross’ criminal conduct lasted “at least 12 years,” and he cited a statement that the power broker allegedly made about the waterfront: “This is for our friends.”
The indictment cites several recordings of the defendants, including a conference call where George Norcross threatened a rival Camden developer, Platkin said.
“If you f— this up, I’ll f— you up like you’ve never been f—ed up before. I’ll make sure you never do business in this town again," the indictment describes George Norcross saying.
The Norcross enterprise took the Camden waterfront all for themselves."
Platkin also quoted Philip Norcross speaking to an unidentified group of people during a discussion about legislation, which he allegedly wrote, that would lead to the tax breaks. Philip Norcross said he “practices as little law as possible,” and instead for “laughs and giggles, our siblings and I get around the table and decide what George’s agenda is in Camden,” Platkin said.
Gov. Phil Murphy, a fellow Democrat, created a task force in 2019 to investigate the state tax break program, which resulted in a referral to the State Attorney General’s Office for a criminal investigation.
George Norcross has never held elected office — his only government job was as chairman of the Camden Parking Authority four decades ago — but he is a former Democratic National Committee delegate who has enjoyed close relationships with most governors and legislative leaders since the 1990s. He was caught on tape decades ago boasting that governors do his bidding.
The Democratic party boss also built a close relationship with the then-Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican. Christie signed the legislation that led to the Camden waterfront tax breaks. When he ran for president in 2016, Christie often touted his bipartisan credentials by citing his role in economic development efforts in the Democratic city of Camden.
The WNYC podcast “Dead End: A New Jersey Political Murder Mystery” described documents left on the table of former New Jersey Transportation commissioner and health care executive John Sheridan and Joyce Sheridan, after they were found dead in their home.
Those documents detailed how the Norcross brothers sought to wrestle rights to develop a waterfront property away from the Cooper’s Ferry Partnership, now known as the Camden Community Partnership At the time John Sheridan was the chairman of Cooper’s Ferry, as well as CEO of Cooper University Health Care, where George Norcross was board chairman.
The Sheridans’ deaths were initially ruled a murder-suicide by local authorities, but now the subject of a reopened investigation by the state’s Attorney General’s Office.
Monday, asked about the Sheridans’ death, Platkin said he would not comment on other investigations.
This story has been updated with new information.
