

NEWARK — A former Clifton man admitted to stealing more than $468,000 during a pair of armed bank robberies in late 2011 during an appearance in federal court on Thursday.

Shpend Mazari, a 30-year-old native of Albania who also goes by "Arlind Hyseni" and "Luie Belushi", is facing up to 50 years in prison after entering guilty pleas on two counts of bank robbery at U.S. District Court in Newark.

According to a statement from U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman, Mazari held up a TD Bank branch in Clifton on Nov. 2, 2011, and left with $286,100 in cash, including "bait" bills and a dye pack. He dropped the money shortly after leaving the bank after the dye pack exploded.

Several weeks later, on Dec. 30, 2011, he entered another TD bank wearing a ski mask and flashing a handgun, and demanded cash from the bank's vault. He made off with around $182,000, and managed to escape authorities until being arrested in New York City in February 2012.

According to Fishman, an Albanian court has also convicted Mazari of a 2004 homicide, for which he has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. However, prosecutors intend to have him serve his time for the bank robberies before returning him to his native country.

Each count of bank robbery is punishable by up to 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will return to federal court on May 20 to be sentenced.