LONG BRANCH, NJ – Federal authorities say the owners of International Trucks of Central Jersey and a salesman allegedly laundered bribe money through the business, according to the Web site www.Atlanticville.gmnews.com. Operation Bid Rig once again focused on Long Branch and neighboring West Long Branch, as an indictment by the U.S. Attorney’s Office cited unnamed officials in both towns. And in the indictment made public by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the investigation into corruption among public officials has spread charges of illegal payoffs between local government officials and contractors into neighboring Ocean County. The co-owners and a salesman of Howell-based International Trucks of Central Jersey (ITCJ) together were charged with 19 counts related to allegedly bribing several local officials in Monmouth and Ocean counties in exchange for steering municipal truck sales to their company. Brothers Matthew and Stephen Appolonia are the co-owners of ITCJ, while Robert Feldman is a salesman for the company. If found guilty on all charges, Stephen Appolonia faces 310 years in prison, Matthew Appolonia faces 270 years, and Feldman faces 140 years. Fines for the brothers would be in the $7 million range, if found guilty on all counts, according to the website www.alanticville.gmnews.com In addition, Raymond O’Grady, former director of the county’s Central Motor Pool, and two former Monmouth County officials are mentioned in the latest Bid Rig indictment, the report said. O’Grady was convicted in June of accepting bribes in return for steering county contracts, and now awaits sentencing while under house arrest.
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