West New York Mayor Felix Roque pleads not guilty to role in $250k bribery scheme

West New York Mayor Felix Roque pleaded not guilty to charges that he participated in a $250,000 bribery/kickback scheme in front of a Bergen County Superior Court judge this morning. 

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

After Hudson County View exclusively reported that his pre-arraignment conference was postponed earlier this month, Roque appeared before Judge Edward Jerejian today and entered a not guilty plea, court officials said.

On June 9, the state Attorney General’s Office indicted Roque on charges of healthcare claims fraud and bribery for allegedly accepting $250,000 in a kickback scheme with a medical imaging company.

Roque’s attorney, Christopher D. Adams, of the Holmdel law firm Adams, Buchan & Palo, LLC, almost immediately called the allegations “ridiculously false charges.”

Court officials added that a status conference has been scheduled for September 14.