13 Facts About Samuel Rivera

Samuel Rivera was an American politician, the Democratic mayor of the US city of Passaic, New Jersey, from 2001 until 2008.

Samuel Rivera began his career by joining the Passaic Police Department in 1968.

In 1970, Samuel Rivera was brought up on police brutality charges.

Samuel Rivera avoided trial by resigning and returning to Puerto Rico, where he became a police officer as well with the Puerto Rico Police Department.

Samuel Rivera returned to Passaic in 1981 and became a private investigator.

Samuel Rivera ran for Passaic City Council in 1993 and 1995, losing both times.

Samuel Rivera then ran a losing campaign for mayor in 1997, and then again in 2001, winning the race.

Samuel Rivera was indicted for demanding and accepting money from John D'Angelo, an insurance broker acting as a cooperating witness for the FBI.

The indictment alleges that Samuel Rivera accepted a $5,000 bribe to steer insurance business with the City of Passaic and with the Passaic Valley Water Commission, bragging that "I can get four votes easy, easy, easy," to a witness about his ability to obtain approval from the Passaic City Council.

Samuel Rivera had stated that he did not intend to resign.

In 2008, Samuel Rivera was sentenced to 21 months in prison.

Samuel Rivera was born on a tobacco farm into a family of 14 children, where he lived until he moved to Passaic in 1963.

Samuel Rivera died on May 1,2020 at a nursing home in Pennsylvania the age of 73.