N.J. appeals court upholds dismissal of indictment against South Jersey powerbroker George Norcross

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A New Jersey appellate panel upheld the dismissal of an indictment against South Jersey Democratic power broker George E. Norcross III and his codefendants.

The ruling, published Friday by the Appellate Division of Superior Court, comes several months after prosecutors appealed to the judicial panel to reinstate the indictment.

Judge Lisa Rose, who delivered the opinion on behalf of the three-judge panel, wrote, “the factual allegations set forth [in the state’s indictment] failed to constitute the offenses of theft by extortion or criminal coercion which underpinned all other offenses; the indictment failed to allege a racketeering enterprise.”

The panel ruled that the charges of racketeering, conspiracy to commit theft by extortion through criminal coercion and the official misconduct charge against former Camden Mayor Dana L. Redd were “untimely.” The remaining charges, the court ruled, “failed to state the offense charged.”

In addition, the charges of financial facilitation of criminal activity and misconduct by a corporate official were “time-barred,” the panel ruled.

Norcross and Redd, along with George Norcross’ younger brother Philip Norcross, NFI CEO Sidney R. Brown, attorney William M. Tambussi and developer John O’Donnel, were accused in June 2024 of orchestrating a scheme to usurp properties along the Camden waterfront and secure millions of dollars in tax benefits.

All have maintained their innocence. Norcross’s attorney could not be reached for comment.

A spokesperson for the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office said prosecutors are reviewing the Appellate Division’s decision.

Critics of Norcross said they are not surprised by Friday’s ruling.

Antoinette Miles, state director of New Jersey Working Families Party, said it confirms that the government “protects the powerful while hard-working families are left behind.”

“George Norcross used his political influence to extract billions of dollars in public dollars while he treated Camden like a colony,” she said in a statement, adding that Norcross and his friends prospered while Camden residents did not receive any of the economic benefits promised to them.

“Camden deserves justice, and families across New Jersey deserve a government that serves them.”