Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
NJ corruption office that went up against George Norcross and lost will be dismantled
By
Michael Sol Warren
Published Sep 3, 2026
Modified Sep 4, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Benjamin Fanjoy/Getty Images
By
Michael Sol Warren
Published Sep 3, 2026
Modified Sep 4, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The controversial office tasked with prosecuting public corruption in New Jersey is being disbanded as part of a major reorganization within the state Attorney General’s office.
The Office of Public Integrity and Accountability will no longer exist as part of the shakeup, which takes effect Tuesday, the AG’s office told Gothamist. The public integrity office was created in 2018 under then-Gov. Phil Murphy to be a standalone unit dedicated to fighting public corruption and building trust in government.
But the office has been dogged by high-profile prosecutorial missteps, highlighted by the failed prosecution of South Jersey power broker George Norcross, and the dismissal of 14 indictments of corrections officers and prison staff that had been related to violent cell extractions at the Edna Mahan women’s prison.
A restructured Division of Criminal Justice will take on responsibilities that had been assigned to OPIA, according to the AG’s office.
“Our office is committed to pursuing justice whether we are prosecuting people who commit violent crime, defraud vulnerable members of society, abuse their positions of public trust, or exploit our children,” New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said in a statement. “The restructuring of our criminal prosecution program will allow us to more efficiently and effectively deploy resources, share information and expertise, and collaborate across units.”
Under the new structure, the Division of Criminal Justice will have six deputy directors, each overseeing multiple units, according to Davenport’s office.
The corruption unit will be overseen by Rebecca Schuman, who has served as the director of OPIA’s corruption arm since June. Schuman previously worked as a federal prosecutor, including in the Public Integrity Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division.
OPIA had also been in charge of investigating police shootings or any incidents in which police were involved in deaths. It’s a responsibility that was tacked on to OPIA’s mission in 2019, following a series of NJ Advance Media reports on police use of force. The fatal police encounters unit will report to Andrew Wellbrock, who has worked for the Attorney General’s office since 2021.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill declined to comment. Neither did state Senate President Nick Scutari, a Union County Democrat who had been a vocal critic of OPIA.
OPIA has remained busy throughout criticism from prominent legislators in both major parties who derided it as ineffective. The Attorney General’s office on Thursday announced the indictment of a former fire chief in Toms River for subjecting his subordinates to sexual harassment. That case is led by OPIA.
Tagged
Politics
new jersey
public safety
Michael Sol Warren
Michael Sol Warren covers New Jersey for WNYC and Gothamist, and previously reported on issues around the Garden State for NJ Spotlight News and NJ Advance Media. He can be reached at [email protected].
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
Published Sep 28, 2026 at 4:15 p.m. ET
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.
By
Arya Sundaram
News
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.
By
Arya Sundaram
A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.
By
Samantha Max
Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910
By
Michael Sol Warren
NYC nor’easter dries up after weather service reports minor flooding
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .