That September, surveillance agents noted that Milan was driving a new green GMC Jimmy that Milan borrowed from a contractor with a lucrative city towing contract - a leased vehicle that Milan kept for about 10 months. Several months later, the mayor was seen using a blue 1990 Chevrolet van, a vehicle the same towing contractor gave to Milan's girlfriend. Prosecutors contend the vehicles were just some of the freebies the mayor got from city contractors who wanted something in return from the Camden politician. Milan was seen by FBI surveillance agents meeting with Daidone at popular restaurants and diners in South Jersey, and once in a parking lot not far from Natale's apartment in Pennsauken moments after Daidone left Natale's apartment. Milan, Daidone and more than 20 honored guests were there to celebrate the inauguration of the impoverished city's first Hispanic mayor.
Prosecutors contend the free party was another mob bribe.
Late in 1997, Milan was photographed from a distance in a parking lot by FBI surveillance agents when he met Daidone at the Harbor League Club in Camden for lunch. And the mayor was photographed again the next morning in another parking lot at the Penn Queen Diner in Pennsauken, where he attended a breakfast meeting with Daidone and Myles Bass, a college lecturer and business adviser to Natale, the mob boss. Such circumstantial evidence of Milan's close relationship with Daidone has gone virtually unchallenged by defense attorney Carlos A. Martir Jr., who rarely cross-examined the surveillance agents. Martir maintains such evidence is not proof of any wrongdoing on Milan's part. If you experience any problems with the Daily News Web site, please let us know.