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Two Political Operatives, Two Hit Men And A Jersey Cold Case Is Solved
By
Nancy Solomon
Published Jan 27, 2022
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U.S. Department of Justice
By
Nancy Solomon
Published Jan 27, 2022
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More details are emerging this week in the New Jersey case of a political operative who hired two hit men to kill an associate, and then paid the men at a diner.
Sean Caddle, 44, of Hamburg, N.J., pleaded guilty on Tuesday in federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit murder for hire. He was allowed to remain at home on $1 million bail.
The U.S. Attorney for New Jersey did not name the victim, but it is widely known to be Michael Galdieri, a former Jersey City Council candidate, political operative and son of the late State Sen. James A. Galdieri.
Galdieri was stabbed to death and his apartment in Jersey City was set on fire in May 2014. Galdieri and Caddle worked together on several election campaigns.
In addition to Caddle, one of the men hired to commit the murder also pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court. Bomani Africa, 61, of Philadelphia, was allegedly contacted by a Connecticut man who was described as a “regular accomplice” in April 2014 and the two men met in Jersey City on May 22, 2014 to commit the murder, prosecutors say.
Caddle worked for former State Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Elizabeth), who was in the Democratic leadership of the senate and ran for governor in 2017.
Lesniak reportedly introduced Caddle to George Norcross, considered the most powerful political boss in New Jersey, in 2014 when Caddle was working on the Newark mayoral race, according to two associates of Caddle who requested anonymity because it would harm their work relationships.
Lesniak denied introducing Caddle to Norcross and says he was not present at the meeting.
Caddle also worked on an unsuccessful Atlantic City referendum in 2020 that attempted to take power away from the mayor and city council. And he ran a couple of super PACs that went to great lengths to shield its donors.
This story has been updated with a response from Lesniak, who denies introducing Caddle to Norcross.
Tagged
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new jersey
corruption
Nancy Solomon
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