Anthony Spalliero

Antonio "Anthony" Spalliero (July 30, 1942 Maddaloni, - December 19, 2010 Edison, New Jersey, United States) was a real estate developer with ties to organized crime.^[6] From 1968 to 2005, Spalliero had been arrested at least eight times, and indicted twice, though most of the charges were dismissed or dropped.^[7]

Early life

Spalliero was born in Italy and moved to Newark, New Jersey at the age of 13. He dropped out of school after six months and got a job working with family as a mason. By age 17 he married his first wife, Domenica, who was 16 at the time.^[8] Spalliero moved to Hazlet, New Jersey in 1960.^[9]

Monmouth County real estate

Spalliero bought a Monmouth County, New Jersey parcel for $16,000 and later sold it to a developer for $450,000, he said. Over the years, Spalliero estimated, he had earned as much as $10 million speculating in Monmouth County land.^[10]

One of Spalliero's most profitable businesses was his four go go bars; one of which, he sold in 2003. Spalliero had paid more than $300,000 in fines since 1988 to avoid more than three years of license suspensions, according to New Jersey Alcoholic Beverage Control records. Charges ranged from improper bookkeeping to prostitution.^[11]

He was also the developer of more than 1,000 houses in Marlboro Township, New Jersey. Spalliero was known for getting favorable zoning privileges by using bribes and go-go dancers to buy officials' support of his projects.^[12]

Federal agents say it was virtually impossible to determine just how many different businesses Spalliero ran, and how much money he earned. At the very least, he was the president of TMJ Harvester Contracting, a construction company, and an officer of Greenwood Holdings and Crawford Holdings, two land speculation and development companies.^[13]

He also founded Marlboro Memorial Cemetery in 1996, the first new cemetery approved by the state in 31 years, with the firm building mausoleums there.^[14]

2005 Conviction

On October 11, 2005, Spalliero was indicted on charges of passing $142,500 in bribes to various local officials to win building rights and better zoning in his Marlboro developments. Spalliero pleaded his innocence, however, he was found guilty and was sentenced to pay a fine and was given probation for three years. Spalliero was not given prison time because of his health, he died in 2010 after battling health problems for years.^[15]

References

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