Baraka’s Ex-Campaign Treasurer Gets 2 1/2 Years for Embezzling Over $220K
NEWARK, NJ – Mayor Ras Baraka’s former campaign treasurer wiped away tears today after he was sentenced to 30 months in prison for embezzling more than $220,000 in campaign funds with forged checks.
“I made my bed,” Fredrick Murphy said outside court with tears in his eyes. “Now I gotta lay in it.”
Frederick Murphy, Jr., 56, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and wire fraud charges in May for his work with Baraka’s campaign. Murphy also admitted to cheating the Internal Revenue Service out of about $54,000 in embezzled campaign funds by underreporting on his personal income tax return.
From 2014 to 2017, Murphy wrote checks for the campaign’s accounts in the names of consultants and vendors for work that was never performed. He cashed the checks by forging the signature of the check payees and then reported them as expenses in filings with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Murphy, of Bloomfield, received a plea agreement negotiated with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He was ordered to pay back about $223,000 to Baraka’s campaign and about $54,000 to the IRS. U.S. District Court Judge Jose Linares waived all fines, which could have could have gone up to $2 million for all the charges.
Murphy was employed by the city, heading a reentry program for prisoners. While he was treasurer of Baraka’s campaign, he also worked for the Gateway Foundation and Covenant House, a homeless outreach nonprofit in Newark, according to court documents.
Murphy apologized to his family and the City Newark before his sentence was handed down. “I’m not a bad person, judge,” he said, speaking briefly before the judge. “I made a bad mistake…”
Alan Dexter Bowman, an attorney for Murphy, asked for leniency during sentencing because he said his client was once a heroin addict who had become a “solid citizen.”
“He’s helped so many people,” Bowman said to Judge Linares as he turned to the seats filled with people who came out to support Murphy.
Prosecutors argued for a slightly longer prison sentence, saying that Murphy’s particular mistake “carried on” for years and was “sophisticated.”
“Look, this is – in so many ways – is a sad case,” Judge Linares said, taking into account Murphy’s past as a heroin addict and then his work within the community. He later added, “He appeared to have righted himself.”
However, Judge Linares said that Murphy’s actions were “not a small crime.”
The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission also lodged a 28-count complaint last year against Murphy for his work as Baraka’s campaign treasurer. A city spokesman today distanced Murphy’s crimes associated with the mayor’s campaign from his work as a city employee.
“Murphy’s misconduct was in no way connected to any work he performed for the City of Newark,” said city spokesman Frank Baraff when asked about the case.
Murphy has until Jan. 4, 2019 to turn himself in to prison.
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