John J. Cafaro

John J. "J.J." Cafaro is an American businessman and convicted felon best known for his business ventures in Northeast Ohio and his controversial political involvement with U.S. president Donald Trump. He pleaded guilty to bribing U.S. representative James Traficant in 2001.

Early life Cafaro is the son of William M. Cafaro, a national mall developer who founded the Cafaro Company and left $800 million to his family following his death in 1998.

Career Cafaro was the executive vice president at the Cafaro Company and was involved with developing Meadowbrook Mall and the Ohio Valley Mall. He had largely left the business in the late 1980s as his older brother, Anthony Cafaro, became the company's president.

Cafaro acquired the Avanti Motor Company in 1987. Under his ownership, Avanti moved all vehicle production from South Bend, Indiana, to Youngstown, Ohio. Only 405 Avantis were made in four years at the Youngstown plant, which closed in 1991. On 8 June 2010, he was sentenced to $250,000 and three years probation in this case.

Cafaro retired from the Cafaro Company in 2009. In 2010, he founded the J.J. Cafaro Investment Trust in Brookfield, Ohio. He is a neighbor to Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. David Schutzenhofer, who manages Trump National Golf Club Bedminster, reportedly advised on the Reflecting Pool project and was the person in contact with Greenwater Services ahead of the contract being awarded.

Personal life Cafaro is married to Janet Cafaro. He lives in Palm Beach, Florida,