A New Jersey councilman with a long criminal past has been arrested on extortion and related charges, putting fresh scrutiny on his role in local government. Prosecutors say John Alite used threats and business channels to pressure debtors into giving up money and property.
Alite, 63, of Englishtown, was charged Friday with multiple counts of extortion, corporate misconduct and other offenses, according to New Jersey’s Attorney General. Officials allege he made loans above the legal maximum rate and then threatened violent acts if the people who borrowed money did not pay up.
How prosecutors say the scheme worked
Authorities say Alite also used his company, Straightened-Out Entertainment, Inc., to help promote the alleged operation. The charges center on claims that the loans and threats were part of a wider effort to extract money and property from debtors.
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said the arrests followed “rigorous investigative work” and close cooperation between the Division of Criminal Justice and New Jersey State Police. She added that the office is committed to making sure businesses operate fairly and lawfully.
A figure already known for mob ties
Alite has long been associated with organized crime, including his time as a top enforcer for the Gotti crime family and as a longtime member of the Gambino family. Born in Queens and of Albanian-American background, he later became a government informant and public speaker on mob life.
In a 2015 interview with CBS News, Alite said he had committed 15 murders, shot 30 to 40 people, and beaten more than 100 others with pipes and baseball bats. He also described one killing in graphic detail, saying, “While we were in the conversation, I shot him two or three times in the head, then spit on him.”
From prison to public life in Englishtown
Alite served more than 14 years in prison in the United States and Brazil before repudiating his mob ties after his release. He later launched the podcast Catch Me On The Run, where he discussed his years in the mob and life on the run from authorities.
He also appeared in or wrote several books and documentaries, building a public profile far removed from his earlier life in organized crime. In May 2025, Englishtown Mayor Daniel Francisco appointed him to the council.
At the time, Alite told The Guardian he wanted to help the community after his daughter died from a fentanyl overdose. “Plus, I’m not a criminal any more,” he said. “I’m on a mission to do things the right way.”
