A former Metropolitan Transportation Authority purchasing official currently charged with receiving bribes was hired by New Jersey Transit to help with investment projects, but was not told he was facing criminal charges.

James Berlangero worked for New Jersey Transit for two months as a contractor before officials learned of the criminal charges against him and fired him.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance accused Berlangero in 2020 of accepting more than $ 70,000 in bribes from a company running a $ 10 million contract for waste removal and asbestos.

“According to our records, a background check was performed by AeroTek and did not tell us anything about an indictment,” said Nancy Snyder, spokesperson for NJ Transit. “We hold them accountable for performing a more comprehensive background check based on the level of scrutiny we apply to our own employee candidates, including those currently under contract. “

New Jersey Transit said Berlangero was a consultant for AeroTek, a staffing and recruiting company they use to fill certain positions on a contract basis.

“He was assigned as a senior contracts analyst,” Snyder said. He provided administrative support for procurement tasks associated with customer-facing facility condition repair projects.

Berlangero started working at NJ Transit on April 5, 2021 – sixteen months after his indictment – and was fired on May 26, immediately after transit officials learned of the criminal allegations against him.

According to Snyder, NJ Transit was paying more than $ 4,000 per week for Berlangero’s services – at a cost of $ 211,744 per year for a middle management procurement employee – and spent $ 30,540 on them. 7 and a half weeks as Glen, 63, Cove, New York resident working at the agency.

“We pay AeroTek for consulting services, which would then pay their employee,” Snyder explained. “The direct pay is between Aerotek and their employee.”

Snyder said he was hired to “provide temporary staff support for capital programs.” NJ Transit currently has nine AeroTek contract employees working in capital programs and two more in rail operations.

While Berlangero was an employee of AeroTek, he was interviewed for the job by officials from NJ Transit Capital Programs & Procurement.

Citing confidentiality, Snyder declined to comment on internal audits to determine whether other contractors placed by AeroTek have insufficient background checks.

She said NJ Transit is considering a request for AeroTek to reimburse the fees paid for Berlangero.

“At the moment, invoices for his services are currently on hold and are under further review,” Snyder said.

Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, who has sharply criticized NJ Transit in the past, said the circumstances of Berlangero’s hiring must be transparent.

“I hope the New Jersey Transit board of directors will seek full public disclosure of the mistakes made here and the reasons why this was contract work,” Weinberg said.

It was Berlangero’s second government post after his resignation from the MTA. His LinkedIn profile shows that he briefly worked as a contract administrator for the New York State Homes and Community Renewal Division.

Madeline Mahon, spokesperson for AeroTek, did not respond to a 2:09 p.m. email asking for comment except to ask what the topic was.

Vance alleges that Berlangero stepped in to award contracts he managed to WRS Environmental Services in exchange for cash, checks, $ 10,000 motor racing sponsorship for his brother-in-law, cleaning services for his brother-in-law. home and a job in the business for her daughter. . He allegedly disclosed confidential information about the offer to two WRS executives who were also indicted.