SCI: Illegal dirt dumpers posing as recyclers

Jeff Pillets , Staff Writer, @jpillets Published 2:33 p.m. ET March 22, 2017

In Jersey City, for example, mob related entities connected to the soil recycling business thrived during the construction of a  golf course financed by the Hudson County Improvement Authority.

The SCI's probe turned up information  that resulted in the successful federal prosecution of two individuals charged in a scheme to extort thousands of dollars from companies doing business with the authority. One of the individuals convicted, New Jersey dirt broker James Castaldo, had a documented history as a member of the DeCavalcante crime family dating back to the early 1990s.

Castaldo, who last year was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for bribery and conspiracy, made tens of thousands in profit merely by accepting unwanted construction fill and debris, investigators said. But under current New Jersey law, he wasn't even subject to a background check before he set up shop recycling soil.

"Without at least this change in the statutory framework, criminal elements will continue to profit from polluting at will,'' investigators said.

http://www.northjersey.com/story/news ... osing-recyclers/99498420/

Dirty business Federal investigation of alleged extortion scheme results in two arrests – so far

A federal investigation begun more than three years ago has led to the arrest of two Jersey Shore men in connection with what authorities say was an alleged scheme to extort payments from suppliers of landfill destined for the delayed Hudson County Public Golf Course in Jersey City.

U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said two people involved in the project have been charged with extortion, and other indictments may be forthcoming.

Gerard Pica, 65, of Middletown, and James Castaldo, 59, of Beachwood, were indicted by a federal grand jury on Feb. 10, and each charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit extortion and accepting and agreeing to accept corrupt payments.

“All the charges are related to Gerard Pica’s [former] employment at the Hudson County Improvement Authority (HCIA),” Fishman said.


Read more:  Hudson Reporter - Dirty business br font size 2 i Federal investigation of alleged extortion scheme results in two arrests so far font i br

2 indicted for extortion in Lincoln Park golf course project in Jersey City

By The Associated Press The Associated Press

February 12, 2015 at  8:26 AM

NEWARK -- Two men have been charged with extorting payments from contractors seeking work on a golf course project in Jersey City.

The six-count indictment was handed up yesterday against Gerard Pica, 65, of Middletown, and James Castaldo, 59, of Beachwood. They're charged with conspiracy, extortion and accepting bribes.

The U.S. attorney's office alleges the two men took money from contractors in exchange for using their influence with the Hudson County Improvement Authority, which was building a nine-hole public golf course at Lincoln Park West.

The two men allegedly schemed to obtain payments from an environmental consulting firm and a recycling business that sought to provide soil and fill material for the project.

Read more:  http://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/index ... _in_extortion_in_lin.html