The brother of Birdsall Services Group founder/CEO Howard Birdsall becomes the fourth executive of the defunct engineering firm to admit a role in channeling more than $1,000,000 in political contributions in disregard of New Jersey's pay-to-play laws.

William Birdsall (NJ Attorney General's Office)
William Birdsall (NJ Attorney General's Office)
loading...

In an Ocean County courtroom, William Birdsall, 67, of Manchester, BSG's onetime Senior Vice-President and major shareholder, accepted a guilty plea to a third-degree count of corporate misconduct, according to the office of acting New Jersey Attorney General Robert Lougy.

At his scheduled July 11 sentencing, prosecutors will recommend up to 270 days in a county jail as a condition of probation, plus a 10-year ban on personally bidding for publicly-funded project contracts, and a ban of equal length for holding more than five-percent interest in any company that bids competitively.

Birdsall today paid the state $129,115, representing forfeiture of political contributions for which BSG reimbursed him. He has also paid a $75,000 public corruption profiteering penalty, authorities said.

Howard Birdsall was sentenced to four years in a state prison on April 22 for his guilty plea to a second-degree corporate misconduct charge. in which he also forfeited $49,408 representing contributions for which he was reimbursed through the company.

Former BSG Executive Vice-President Thomas Rospos, 64, of Belmar, and ex-Chief Administrative Officer Scott MacFadden, 61, of Brick, await sentencing for their guilty please, entered earlier this year.

Rospos, described as the company's second-largest shareholder, took a guilty plea to a third-degree count of tampering with public records. MacFadden accepted a guilty plea for a third-degree charge of corporate misconduct.

Prosecutors are expected to recommend three years in state prison and $150,000 forfeiture for Rospos. MacFadden likely faces 364 days in a county jail as a term of probation, and forfeiture of $30,000, authorities said.

BSG marketing staffers Philip Angarone, 43, of Hamilton Township in Mercer County, and Eileen Kufahl, 51, of Bradley Beach, also pleaded guilty and await sentences.

The Eatontown-based firm, as an entity, pleaded guilty in June 2013 to first-degree money laundering and second-degree misrepresentations for government contracts, resulting in penalties totalling $1,000,000 and $2,600,000 in forfeitures.

Investigators said that executives and employees contributed amounts below the legal $300 reporting threshold, then reimbursed by the company through bonuses that were also hidden from the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) and from government agencies awarding the contracts.

A spokesman for the Attorney General's office noted that no charges are likely to ensue against any politicians into whose campaign accounts the money was deposited, because there is no clear path on the trail to indicate that any specific elected official benefited directly from the scheme.

More From 92.7 WOBM