Joseph Castagna
Joseph Castagna was a health officer in the Jersey City Department of Health and Human Services.
On July 23, 2009, Castagna was charged by the FBI with conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right. He allegedly accepted $5,000 from a purported developer to pass along to political candidate Michael Manzo in exchange for Manzo’s support of the developer’s proposed projects if he were elected to the City Council. (You can read the criminal complaint against him here.)
Castagna was suspended from his position on July 23, 2009 in light of the criminal allegations. In late August, it was revealed that Castagna also faced a probe from the city’s police department for possibly issuing more food vendor licenses than allowed by law. In light of all the charges, Castagna put in his request for retirement in late August.
