New Jersey council member, who previously admitted to several murders, arrested for extortion

A New Jersey council member, who previously admitted to several murders as a mob enforcer, was arrested for extortion amid other charges on Friday. 

John Alite, 63, a councilman in Englishtown, NJ, was charged Friday with multiple counts of extortion, corporate misconduct and other charges, New Jersey’s Attorney General said in a news release.  

Officials allege Alite made loans outside of the maximum legal rate and then threatened the debtors with violent acts if they didn’t hand over money and property. Prosecutors allege Alite also used his business, Straightened-Out Entertainment, Inc., to promote the scheme. 

“These arrests are the result of rigorous investigative work and the strong cooperation between the Division of Criminal Justice and New Jersey State Police, who work tirelessly every day in the pursuit of justice,” said Attorney General Jennifer Davenport. “Our office is dedicated to ensuring that all businesses conduct themselves fairly and lawfully. The conduct alleged in this case was anything but, and we will work to hold those who cheat and steal accountable.”

An Albanian-American from Queens, Alite has long had ties to organized crime, as the top enforcer for the infamous Gotti crime family and a longtime member of the Gambino family.

In 2015, he spoke to CBS News in an interview about his earlier decision to leave the mob. He claimed to have committed 15 murders, shot 30 to 40 people and beaten more than one hundred others with pipes and baseball bats.

He described one organized hit, saying then, “While we were in the conversation, I shot him two or three times in the head, then spit on him. It was nothing, like going to a baseball game, I went out (afterward) for a cheeseburger, double cheese, Coke and  fries.”

Alite served more than 14 years in prison in the United States and Brazil, and after being released, he repudiated his mob ties. He went on to launch a popular podcast called “Catch Me On The Run,” where he revealed details about his years with the mob and running from the feds. 

He wrote or appeared in numerous books as well as several documentaries. Alite was appointed to the council by Englishtown’s mayor, Daniel Francisco, in May 2025. He told the Guardian he wanted to run to help the community after his daughter died from a fentanyl overdose. 

“Plus, I’m not a criminal any more,” he said at the time. “I’m on a mission to do things the right way.”