Former Gotti hitman-turned-New Jersey councillor has returned to crime, prosecutors allege

A notorious mob hitman who once testified against John “Junior” Gotti before cleaning up his life and becoming a councilman in New Jersey has been arrested on extortion and loan sharking charges that, if proven, reflect a return to the lifestyle of his youth.

John Alite, 63, was arrested on Friday in New Jersey, where he was sworn in early last year as a councillor in the borough of Englishtown. Released after a court appearance on Saturday, Alite is scheduled to return to court for a detention hearing on Wednesday.

His lawyer, Douglas Anton, responding to an email seeking comment, said he did not want to speak about the case before the next court appearance.

Alite faces multiple counts of extortion, corporate misconduct, loan sharking and terroristic threats.

Alite provided loans at exorbitant rates before threatening violence to collect on them, authorities said, citing the discovery in his home of metal knuckles, an expandable baton, six baseball bats and about two dozen knives, including flick knives.

The baseball bats, authorities said, included one stored near his home’s front door and five more in a kitchen storage bench.