Friday, December 21, 2012
Ritacco, the former Toms River superintendent, and Francis X. Gartland, the district's former insurance broker, have been ordered to pay $4,336,987.91
- POLICE & FIRE
- Tom Davis
-
Friday, December 21, 2012
Several former officials have been ordered to pay back millions to Toms River schools for their involvement in a bribes scandal that brought down the district's superintendent. Michael J. Ritacco, the former superintendent for the Toms River Regional School District, and Francis X. Gartland, the district's former insurance broker, have been ordered to pay $4,336,987.91 in restitution to the school district, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced Thursday. Frank D’Alonzo, the former supervisor of Athletics and Special Projects for the School District, was ordered to pay $1,625,952.79 in restitution. Ritacco, 64, of Seaside Heights, Gartland, 71, of Baltimore, and D’Alonzo, 55, of Lavallette, all previously pleaded guilty before U.S. …
Friday, September 14, 2012
Restitution, sale of home yet to occur
TRENTON — The former superintendent of Toms River Regional was sentenced to 135 months of jail and voluntarily submitted to U.S. Marshals Friday afternoon to begin serving his sentence immediately. Michael Ritacco, guilty of tax evasion and mail fraud relating to more than $2.5 million in bribes and kickbacks passed between the former superintendent and co-conspirators, also faces a restitution hearing, his lawyers said. Attorney William Hughes confirmed no restitution was ordered at the sentencing Friday and instead a separate court proceeding, possibly in December, will be scheduled to decided if and how much restitution Ritacco must pay. In court Friday, sentencing Judge Joel Pisano said several million dollars were "fleeced" from the …
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Former superintendent, who pleaded guilty earlier this month, was suing for unpaid benefits
Disgraced former Toms River Regional Schools Superintendent Michael J. Ritacco has dropped a lawsuit that sought his unused benefits, which the school district agreed to not pay after Ritacco retired the same day as a federal indictment for corruption charges. The lawsuit, filed October 2011, was dismissed without prejudice by Judge Douglas Albert in U.S. Magistrate court on April 23. Ritacco was suing for $15,000 in unused sick days, $23,750 for 25 unused vacation days from the 2008-09 school year, and $24,062.50 for 25 unused vacation days from the 2009-10 school year. He also was suing for an undisclosed amount of money in a deferred compensation fund, in place since 2010. Ritacco had asked for the money as a lump sum. Ritacco lawyer …
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Toms River South junior glad it's over
It should have come sooner. That's Toms River High School South junior Ken Gaughran's take upon hearing that former longtime Toms River Regional Schools Superintendent Michael J. Ritacco pleaded guilty to corruption charges today in federal court. "Hopefully some pride and trust will be restored with the Board of Education," said Gaughran, who has followed the Ritacco saga from day one. "I'm actually glad he just pleaded guilty. It was dragging everyone down. He probably should have admitted it in the first place. It probably would have been easier." Ritacco pleaded guilty this morning in federal court in Trenton to mail fraud and conspiracy to impede the IRS. He could face 11 to 14 years of jail time, according to sentencing guidelines. …
State's fourth largest school district outlines changes, challenges that came after Ritacco
As guilty pleas were made this week by former Superintendent Michael J. Ritacco and former insurance broker Francis X. Gartland, 50 miles away in Toms River, the state's fourth largest school district has for the last year and a half been living in the wake of scandal. A Year of Challenge School officials said previously that over the last year the district has put in place competitive bidding, close oversight and more transparency. "We know it will continue to be a challenge, but we will continue to do what we believe is in the best interests of our students and our district, while being cognizant of the financial impact on our taxpayers," said a joint statement of Superintendent Frank Roselli and Business Administrator Bill Doering on …
Plea came in federal court this morning, IRS confirms
Former Toms River Regional Schools Superintendent Michael J. Ritacco pleaded guilty this morning to mail fraud and conspiracy to impede the IRS, officials said. He could face 11 to 14 years jail time, according to sentencing guidelines. In the courtroom of Judge Joel Pisano, where he would have faced trial Monday, Ritacco pleaded to two of the 27 charges he was facing, and admitted his role in years of corruption at the school district, where as much as $2.5 million in bribes were allegedly passed between Ritacco, insurance brokers and intermediaries. Rob Glantz, IRS Crimininal Investigations spokesperson from New Jersey, confirmed that as part of the plea Ritacco will forfeit $1 million dollars, his 2010 Mercedes e550, and $8,960 from his…
Bowie Thelonius
5:57 pm on Tuesday, December 25, 2012
I'm not saying there's corruption, but since it's also in Ocean County, can the feds look into OCC? Just to be sure it's all on the up and up :) more ›