NEWARK - Real estate developer and political contributor Charles Kushner was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for his pleas of guilty to assisting in the filing of false tax returns, retaliating against a cooperating witness and making false statements to the Federal Election Commission, U. Attorney Christopher J. Christie announced. Calling Kushner's crime "disgraceful and reprehensible," U.
District Judge Jose L. Linares sentenced Kushner to the top of the eligible range - 18 to 24 months - under the his plea agreement with the government. Kushner, who had obviously convinced himself that his power, influence and immense wealth put him above the law," Christie said. Judge Linares ordered Kushner, 50, of Livingston, to surrender to the federal Bureau of Prisons by May 9 to begin serving his sentence.
Sentencing Guidelines. On Aug. Kushner further admitted at his plea hearing that he devised a scheme to retaliate against a cooperating witness - his sister - and her husband by having a prostitute seduce the husband and covertly filming them having sex. Kushner admitted to personally recruiting the prostitute and instructing that the videotape be mailed to the cooperating witness. Kushner also admitted to making false statements to the Federal Election Commission which allocated campaign contributions to certain individuals who had no knowledge that contributions were being made in their names and had not consented to him making the contributions.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.
