Today we return to the ongoing tale of Monmouth County's gangsta developer, Anthony Spalliero. The Asbury Park Press is running a four-part series this week on the ups and downs of Spalliero's corrupt career.
An interesting characteristic of his career is the trail of violence which follows him. The latest example is that of the late Petra Johnson, Spalliero's ex-comare who died in Florida on November 20. It appears that Johnson, a recently recovering alcoholic, fell face-first into a trash can and inhaled the plastic bag, suffocating. Two black eyes were said to be the result of a fall while walking her dog.
Some have said that Johnson's death is an eerie parallel to the apparent suicide of Marjorie Alexander, mob boss Peter Gotti's moll.
Others, too, have not fared well when they crossed Spalliero.
In September, there was the 22-year-old Brookdale College student whom Spalliero attempted to "take for a ride."
In 2004, on Thanksgiving Day, County Corrections Officer Allan Brunner is said to have committed suicide in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Keyport. Brunner was to be interviewed by the FBI the following day with reference to political corruption in several Monmouth County towns. Eleven officials of both parties were later arrested in the big "Operation Bid Rig" bust. Some of these officials have had ties to Spalliero.
In 1998, Lino Fasio was killed along with Eric Shibla in a mysterious plane crash. Fasio had gotten into a vicious contest for control of the former Marlboro Airport. Spalliero wanted to build houses on the site. Fasio's plane allegedly struck a bird and crashed.
Maybe it was a bird that put the bag on Petra Johnson's head.
30 comments:
What I find fascinating about the series is that in doesn't mention Spalliero & Sherman's current application (Mirror Lake) in Aberdeen Township at all. It's like it doesn't even exist! I am tired of reading "newsworthy" items that only tell HALF of the story - that is - the half that they want you to hear.
It's only Wednesday, maybe they're getting to it.
I am sure Colts Neck Crossing in Howell will come up before the week is out.
The council vacated the zoning change for that property AFTER the planning board final approval, imagine the lawsuit!
Also, that was the one that made the big splash when Spalliero accused 2 Howell Councilmen and the United Republican Club President of a "shakedown" in a meeting that included the attroney for the applicant, who was also the Howell Prosecutor or something at the time!
Spalliero later recanted.
What a mess!
Spalliero has active projects in Aberdeen and Howell? How come we don't read about that in the Asbury Park Press? And how is it that he is still permitted to build them if he's on his way to being indicted? Are either of these projects being built as we speak?
Isn't the one in Aberdeen the one where the owner left it to the county in his will? Who owns the one in Howell?
The Howell Mayor and Council should have rezoned using "time of decision" and they would have a slamdunk in Superior Court.
Now they have cost the taxpayers hundreds of thousands in legal fees.
Add that to ELON which has been suing Howel for 8 or 9 years now. It starts to add up
The resoning should have been done before final approval by the planning board.
Let's try to stay on topic here.
Actually I did go after them at the time of the application, I even gave the supporting documents to the Mayor twice and allowed Norine Kelly to download Council meeting minutes at my home all prior to the infamous black book.
As for calling me a newbie, I can guarantee that I have roots much longer than you in this town and I have lived in Howell my entire life,as has my father, grandmother, great grandmother, and at least one or two generations before that.
I don't need to defend Sue, she can do that for herself, but comments like these are exactly the reason I can't stomach a URC meeting and I think Howell ABSOLUTELY needs to go nonpartisan to save it from people like you.
What did Joe DiBella call people who don't sign their name?...cowards.
Getting back to Spalliero - because that would be staying on topic -
The Aberdeen project is on "hold" due to the fact that the guy who owned the property had no intention to sell his farm to Greenwood Holdings - an LLC formed by Mr. Spalliero and Mr. Sherman. He willed it to the county to become a park, but Greenwood Holdings is contesting the will - so that matter will be tied up in litigation for YEARS. Kudos to the county for stepping in here.
I read about the shakedown in Howell and it seemed pretty scary. If they ran them out of town in Howell I can't imagine why they wouldn't do the same in Aberdeen.
And again, what is Niemann's unwavering devotion to Gallic about? Some Svengali thing or something?
Maybe I'm not following you but what does Dan Gallic or Fred Niemann have to do with Anthony Spalliero?
sorry. posted that in the wrong place. was meant as a response to one of sue's posts.
"If they ran them out of town in Howell I can't imagine why they wouldn't do the same in Aberdeen."
Howell ran them (Spalliero and Sherman) out because they were unwelcome. Maybe Spalliero is welcome in Aberdeen.
Now that Mark Coren is retiring from Aberdeen is a good opportunity for us to bring him back here in Howell. He was our first and best manager and had been named "Manager of the Year" by his peers. We need him amd we need him now to clean up this mess!
Hell, I would even put him up for freeholder in Handlin's place.
Getting back to Spalliero - because that would be staying on topic -
The Aberdeen project is on "hold" due to the fact that the guy who owned the property had no intention to sell his farm to Greenwood Holdings - an LLC formed by Mr. Spalliero and Mr. Sherman. He willed it to the county to become a park, but Greenwood Holdings is contesting the will - so that matter will be tied up in litigation for YEARS. Kudos to the county for stepping in here.
Thanks.
Does the Aberdeen project have a final approval?
Not final approval yet. With all his "troubles" Spalliero probably hasn't had a chance to pay off the right people, whether it's money, drugs, booze, women etc.
Looks like the freeholders are committed to getting this land and that's a good thing.
Does anyone out there know anything about the lawyer's dancer/girlfriend who disappeared? This lawyer apparently had some connection to the Konopko crowd in Howell. I'm not getting a lot of information on this and would appreciate some.
Spalliero is going down for his Marlboro activities. He basically worked both sides of the steet so to speak. As far as I see Colts Neck Crossing is not yet been mentioned in the criminal realm as yet. Let's see what happens. I would like to know how the former Senate Majority leader and Co-President would commend this man as a pizzeria owner when he owned strip clubs and go go bars?
Honest Abe, I don't think that case was ever solved.
On the Colts Neck Crossing thing, everone in Howell is keeping their fingers crossed on both sides of the issues. If there are no indictments handed down, and the parties are exonerated, I think Howell will be in a bad position, once again.
I give the Howell guys a lot of credit. They had the decency to throw this crook gangster out of their town.
If there no inditments? Who cares about that. We know the guy is a thief. What more does Sharon need? Maybe a picture ID from his mafia membership? Howell may be the only town that got out of this scott free. In Marlboro tehey have about houses because this thug bought his way through. At least in Howell you giot hom out befote the shovels were in the ground.
Mark Coren is bad news - I've been reading all the nonsense that goes on in Aberdeen, and if he's part of the administration that gave approvals to a guy like Spalliero, there's no way I'd want him back in Howell.
"What if there are no indictments in Howell?"
There is this little thing called "Time of Decision" that attorneys like to use and Crawford Holdings has final approval for their project.
I see a long protracted legal fight costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, a la ELON, that even if we win, we the taxpayers lose.
It would have been much cleaner if the council voted to rescind the zoning prior to final approval. Yes, there would have been a lawsuit, but at least the law would have been on our side.
Hey know it all Sharon,
Nobody recalls you EVER coming to one meeting fighting against the 550 senior homes Spalliero wanted to build. You were a NO SHOW. What was the matter? Not in your back yard so you did not care.
You have some "you know what" commenting on this.
Your township committee did the right thing but you just cannot bring yourself to admit it. Its the Spirten-pooper, we mean Vitren-crapper cool-aid your drinking.
Go fix somebody's make up and leave the serious issues to the grown ups honey.
Why are you, the anonymous blogger, referring to Sharon Migliaccio as "know it all Sharon?"
I take offense. I may not be the most educated contributor or be an attorney or be an engineer or even have a title, but my opinion counts just as much as hers or yours.
I was shocked that she stated
"Second point- no, I am not a genius, but I am pretty damn close, thank you."
Just because someone says they are a genius, that doesn't mean they are.
Is she even a Republican? Why is she interested in discussing issues on this site if she in fact not, or even if she backs another party agenda/candidate??
Some of what she writes appears to be somewhat biased against Republicans in her home town anyway.
"Now they have cost the taxpayers hundreds of thousands in legal fees."
If she was a Republican wouldn't she better respect their decisions especially in public forum.
I am not giving much value to anything she is writing. I see who she thinks she is but who is she anyway?
If you are going to quote me, at least have the courtesy of doing it correctly. The correct quote was "I see a long protracted legal fight costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, a la ELON, that even if we win, we the taxpayers lose."
Howell has been fighting ELON Assoc for 8 or 9 years now,cost the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Your second point was a correction of another post which identified me as a genius, I am not.
As for this quote, "Nobody recalls you EVER coming to one meeting fighting against the 550 senior homes Spalliero wanted to build. You were a NO SHOW. What was the matter? Not in your back yard so you did not care."
If you don't recall seeing me(if you were there at all), you better reread the transcripts, I most certainly was there. In fact, I missed very few meetings over a 3 year period. And I spoke during the public comment periods. I have also spoken out against many high density housing projects in Howell.
I also gave our current Mayor the ELEC reports on Spalliero and Shermen and their associates and family members and businesses, as well as the minutes from the rezoning, twice and allowed Norine Kelly, Chairman of the County Comm to access the same files from my computer for the mayor.
So, yes, I did my part, did you?
As for who I am, you can search me through GOOGLE and see what you came up with if anything. That's what I usually do.
WOW.
Whether you like Vitengruber or not (and I don't much care for her myself), all these personal attacks on her and Ms. Migliacio do not speak well for Joe DiBella.
Word of advice, if you don't get along with her, stay away.
What the heck is going on in Howell anyway? The thread is a Spalliero, not Vitengruber.
All of the vicious comments make all Republicans look bad, and are just as bad as anything I ever heard come out of her mouth. And they won't help Joe DiBella win the nod for Freeholder.
You anonymous posters obviously have a problem with Vitengruber, get in line. You also seem to have a problem with this Sharon Migliaccio, who seems to have a lot of info on Howell.
Quite frankly, you guys sound a little nutty.
When you start making politics personal, it's time to get out.
Happy Holidays.
Hmmm, anon mentioned township committee...must be an old-timer since we've had the council-manager form of government for about 15 years now.
You could probably use a makeover.
Back to the subject:
So how did Aberdeen convince
the county to interceded?
Just by the fact that the guy had a will?
Aberdeen convinced nobody. This council has been touting this as a done deal for the past 3 years. A bunch of residents got together and sued the town manager, the town council and all developers involved. That's the only reason this hasn't been built yet. Curiously though, there hasn't been a real thorough investigative report done on this.
Residents in Marlboro did the same when Spalliero tried to develop Beacon Hill. A lawsuit seems to be the only thing these folks understand.
You're right, I agree you need an attorney with a big stick.
The difference between Aberdeen and Howell is that in Aberdeen they didn't have final planning board approval, in Howell they did. They had a valid zoning ordinance, they had a compliant application. The planning board voted yes on the application.
Kind of like OJ, they had a bloody glove but couldn't put the hand in it. So to speak.
Hey, good luck over there with all of this, I'm sure the FBI and prosecutors are looking into it.
My little birdie tells me the prosecutors are done with Howell and while it stinks like rotten fish, there will be no indictments. Let's hope my birdie's wrong.
Anonymous said...
"Spalliero has active projects in Aberdeen and Howell? How come we don't read about that in the Asbury Park Press?"
Because Aberdeen and Howell were both under Democratic control when Spalliero came to town. That makes them like Teflon® in the press.
Your birdie is likely a doe-doe bird. Schibell is the guy they want and the old mayor is singing like a canary. One of those scum bags is going down. Why are you defending the old mayor, the money they took and the job he got that spalliero paid for?
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