New indictment adds new defendant to Niles corruption case

Major developments in the public corruption case involving former long-time Niles Mayor Ralph Infante.

A superseding indictment has been filed, meaning the old charges have now been thrown out, and new ones filed.

It's resulted in Charles Nader, the former Niles Auditor, being charged with nine criminal counts.

This all comes just two weeks before Infante was set to go on trial on charges that include bribery, tampering with records, theft in office and illegal gambling operations related to operating his ITAM #39 Club.

As the superseding indictment was handed down, two charges of theft in office were dismissed against former Niles employee Scott Schaffer.

Schaffer's attorney asked visiting Judge Patricia Cosgrove, "Are we excused?"  Judge Cosgrove replied, "Get out while you can."

21 News asked Special Prosecutor Daniel Kasaris of the Ohio Attorney General's Office, as well as Infante's attorney, John Juhasz if Schaffer would now be testifying against Infante at trial.  But the judge has put a gag order on the case so they could not respond.  

However, a source says it's always a possibility in cases like this that someone who at one time faced charges could decide to testify, but again we don't know if that is the case this time.

The superseding indictment has fewer overall charges, but now the former Niles Auditor Charles Nader has been named as a defendant.

When we reported on Facebook the minute the new charges were filed with the court, Nader says that's how he actually found out about the case against him.  He says he put in a call to his attorney, and was waiting to hear back, but was reserving comment until because he had not been able to view the indictment.

The former auditor's nine charges include theft, two counts of tampering with records, having an unlawful interest in a public contract, representation by public official or employee, and two counts of falsification.

Nader's crimes allegedly date back to October of 2006 and run through July of 2016.

He is accused of using city computers for private tax preparation and business;  prosecutors also accuse him of failing to list income from a company that did work with the city of Niles.  The work was done on a city computer.

The now retired auditor is also alleged to have made false statements to Roy Speer and/or Chris Rudy who are in public office in the State of Ohio.

As for former Mayor Infante, he faces 17 "fewer" criminal charges in the superseding indictment, but more bribery charges.

Infante and his wife Judy Infante were arraigned on the new charges.

Both pleaded not guilty to the superseding indictment and Judge Cosgrove continued transferred their bonds from the initial case.

Ralph Infante is currently facing 15 charges of Tampering with Evidence, two gambling charges (the ITAM #39 is also charged), two counts of operating a gambling house, possessing criminal tools, seven counts soliciting improper compensation, two counts theft in office, having unlawful interest in a public contract, eight counts of bribery, and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.

Prosecutors accuse Infante of failing to disclose free NCAA Championship tickets gifted to him by a businessman, and more than $299,000 in cash from alleged gifts and bribes from 2008 to 2013.

He's also accused of accepting cash to hire someone to work for the city of Niles.

The trial has now been delayed until December 11th at 9:00 am.

The final pre-trial is November 15th at 11:00 am.

Former Auditor Charles Nader is expected to be summoned to court to answer to his charges on September 13th at 11:00 am in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.  A pre-trial will also be held at that time.

For a chance to learn more about a breakdown in the charges in this case and why some of why former Niles Mayor Infante's property can be forfeited if he's convicted.

Read more in the actual indictment here: