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Newark will pay $350,000 to settle a defamation lawsuit filed by a Boonton car dealer who was falsely named in a police press release as one of 13 men arrested in a prostitution sting. Mohammed Ibrahim sued Newark, claiming the city failed to promptly correct a 2019 news release that included his photo among those arrested, even though he was never charged. The image, one of 10 pulled from a database of crime victims, was distributed as a “mug shot” by the city’s public information office. Ibrahim said the 2019 news release devastated his reputation, causing family, friends, business partners, and customers to cut ties. According to the lawsuit, which was filed in 2020, he and his family are devout Muslims, and his car dealerships serve many Muslim customers in the local community. The suit claimed that the press release caused particular harm to Ibrahim within that community. The city later issued a corrected release and a written apology from then–Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose, who acknowledged the error only after Ibrahim contacted officials. Newark said the mix-up happened because Ibrahim shared the same name and had similar height and weight as one of the men who was arrested. Despite the apology, the original release remained publicly accessible for a significant time, including on the police department’s Facebook page. The settlement, which was first reported by TransparencyNJ and approved by the Newark City Council on August 6, 2025, includes a provision requiring city attorneys to contact media outlets to request removal of posts that used Ibrahim’s photo. The agreement does not include an admission of wrongdoing. Ibrahim’s lawsuit also claimed that Newark police retaliated against him. After Ibrahim filed legal notices of his intent to sue the city, Officer Christopher DeCampos issued summonses to his dealership — charges that were later dismissed in municipal court. In November 2024, Superior Court Judge Joshua D. Sanders ruled that Ibrahim’s claims of defamation, false light, and malicious prosecution could to proceed to trial. Sanders’ decision found that a jury could conclude Detective Kevin Wright Jr. acted with “reckless disregard for the truth” when he prepared the arrest report and that DeCampos’ actions could be seen as retaliatory. Several other defendants — including Officer Alexis Rivera, Officer David Whatley, Catherine Adams, Mark DiIonno, and Ambrose — were dismissed from the case due to insufficient evidence of malice or wrongdoing. Requests for comment from Newark’s Public Information Office, Ibrahim’s attorney Eric S. Latzer, and defense attorneys Jessica K. Formichella and Carmen I. Abrazado were not immediately returned.
