Hoboken politico Raia, convicted of VBM fraud, begins jail sentence in South Jersey

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Hoboken politico Frank Raia, a former mayoral and council hopeful convicted of vote-by-mail fraud over the summer, has begun his jail sentence at a correctional facility in South Jersey.

Frank Raia. Photo via Flickr.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

Raia, 68, reported to the FCI Fairton medium security federal correctional facility this week, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons website.

His release date is scheduled for June 1st after receiving a 90-day sentence and $50,000 fine by U.S. District Judge William J. Martini in December.

However, it is possible that Raia, nicknamed “Pupie” could serve more time as the U.S. Attorney’s Office has appealed his sentence, aiming for harsher punishment.

In June, a jury of his peers convicted Raia of running a vote-by-mail fraud scheme in 2013 that involved members of his inner circle asking low-income residents to fill out VBM ballots for $50 a piece.

At the time, Raia, a prominent developer, was seeking a council-at-large seat and also sought to loosen the city’s rent control via a ballot question. Both those efforts were unsuccessful.

While his attorney filed a motion for a new trial under the pretense that the testimony of the cooperating witnesses could not be trusted, Martini denied that request.


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