NJ Councilman John Alite, 63, Arrested in Illegal Loansharking Ring

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 22

John Alite, 63, was arrested Friday on extortion, usury, conspiracy and terroristic-threat charges after New Jersey prosecutors said he ran an illegal lending operation while serving on the Englishtown council.
Authorities said Alite and Stephen Locrotondo, 67, issued loans at extreme interest rates, with Alite allegedly threatening violent acts to force repayment and using Straightened-Out Entertainment, Inc. to advance the scheme.
The arrest puts fresh scrutiny on Alite, who was appointed to a vacant council seat in 2025 nearly 15 years after receiving a 10-year racketeering sentence tied to his past as a Gambino crime family associate.
Mayor Daniel Francisco said Alite is entitled to due process and that the allegations do not involve borough operations; whether he remains in office is up to him because the council has no legal authority over his seat.