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Former chief of staff Justin Shoham alleges that New Jersey state Sen. Raj Mukherji and other business partners used his consulting work and claimed ownership in two cannabis ventures while denying him payment, control, or financial benefits. Mukherji denies exploiting Shoham and says the case is a business dispute. The lawsuit was filed September 30, 2026; the available reports do not establish a court ruling on the allegations.
What does the lawsuit allege?
Shoham’s verified complaint, filed in Union County Superior Court on September 30, 2026, describes what it calls “a predatory cartelization scheme involving Defendant, Raj Mukherji, a sitting New Jersey State Senator.” That phrase is the plaintiff’s characterization, not a court finding. The complaint concerns two separate New Jersey cannabis ventures: consulting work connected to Best Buds Union in Union Township and an ownership role at Story Dispensary of Springfield.
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Union Township: consulting fees
The complaint says Shoham worked through his firm, Enigma Political Consulting, on community engagement, local advocacy, and regulatory matters for the Union Township project. It alleges that $230,000 remains unpaid for his services and a transaction bonus. That figure is the amount claimed in the pleading, not an established debt or award.
Springfield: claimed ownership
For Story Dispensary of Springfield, the complaint says Shoham agreed to be a 60% owner and managing member. It alleges that documents valued his interest at no less than $180,000 for a lender’s purchase option, but that he was later excluded from meaningful business participation and the benefits of ownership. The $180,000 is the minimum value the complaint says the documents assigned to that interest; it is not a court valuation.
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The two claims are distinct: the Union dispute centers on consulting compensation, while the Springfield dispute centers on ownership, control, and economic benefits. The complaint alleges Shoham’s social-equity qualifications, work, and claimed ownership helped secure approvals or support the businesses, but that he did not receive what he says he was owed.
Who is Justin Shoham?
Shoham is Mukherji’s former chief of staff and the plaintiff in the civil case. The complaint says he participated in both ventures in different capacities: as a consultant through Enigma Political Consulting for the Union project and as the intended majority owner and managing member of the Springfield dispensary.
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The complaint also says Shoham recorded seven conversations with participants, including conversations with Mukherji, between March 14, 2022, and February 4, 2024. That account comes from the plaintiff; the available reporting does not establish independent authentication or judicial evaluation of the recordings.
What do Mukherji and the businesses say?
Mukherji disputes Shoham’s account. In an October 2, 2026, report, Hudson County View quoted him saying: “I’m stunned to be named in this. Whatever his quarrel, it’s not with me. I have not been with the company for two or three years.” He also denied exploiting Shoham, saying the claim that he needed or exploited Shoham for social-equity purposes was “ridiculous.”
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Story and BBNJ Opco counsel Lee Vartan said the agreements were prepared by experienced outside counsel and complied with state law. He told Hudson County View: “The documents that Mr. Shoham now claims were predatory were drafted by experienced outside counsel, and their terms—including the interest rates—have always strictly complied with state law.” That is the defendants’ position, not a judicial determination.
Headynj reported on October 2, 2026, that counsel said the defendants intend to seek more than $5.1 million in counterclaims. This is a reported litigation position, not a court-awarded amount.
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How did the dispute develop?
- December 2021: Shoham’s complaint says the Union Township project began and that he was retained for community engagement, local advocacy, and regulatory consulting.
- March 2022: The complaint says the Springfield transaction began and Shoham became the intended 60% owner and managing member.
- March 14, 2022–February 4, 2024: The complaint says Shoham recorded seven conversations with participants, including Mukherji.
- December 21, 2022: New Jersey Monitor reported on a proposed Story dispensary in Hoboken and Mukherji’s role connecting the parties with property owners. Mukherji said at the time that he had no financial interest in that Hoboken location. It was a separate proposal and does not establish the claims in Shoham’s suit.
- September 30, 2026: Shoham filed the verified complaint in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Union County.
- October 2, 2026: Hudson County View and Headynj reported the filing and the competing accounts.
What is a cannabis social-equity owner?
In this dispute, “social-equity” refers to a status or qualification the complaint says Shoham had and alleges the businesses used in seeking approvals or support. The available sources do not establish the precise licensing category or approval involved, or whether any regulator found that the businesses misused such a qualification. The term here describes an allegation about the role Shoham says he played, not a finding of regulatory misconduct.
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The available sources verify that the complaint was filed, but do not establish a ruling on its merits or later docket activity. Shoham’s claims, Mukherji’s denial, and the businesses’ position remain competing accounts; filing a lawsuit does not prove its allegations.
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