Fulop And Booker Political Strategist Pleads Guilty To Tax Charge

MATAWAN, NJ — A Matawan man who was once known as the top political strategist in Hudson County admitted in federal court Wednesday to lying to the IRS about taxes he owed, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced.

Thomas Bertoli, 65, pleaded guilty to one count of corrupt interference with IRS laws.

Bertoli was a political strategist and his past political clients included Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and U.S. Senator Cory Booker, New Jersey Globe reported. It was Bloomberg News that first reported Bertoli was under a federal investigation for failing to pay taxes on millions he was given from Jersey City developers.

As part of his plea deal, Bertoli will spend 18 months in prison and make full restitution of $1.17 million the IRS says he owes in unpaid taxes from 2009 to 2016. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 7, 2023.

According to federal prosecutors, in addition to his political consulting, Bertoli also operated the following businesses: The Doormen Inc., City Street Associates and Urban Logistics.

His clients were developers and construction firms, to which he promised expedited service on real estate development and construction projects, primarily in Jersey City. Expediting in the construction industry typically refers to facilitating the acquisition of building permits and other government approvals.

On June 5, 2014, Bertoli was interviewed by an IRS officer at his Matawan home. Bertoli had not filed tax returns for 2009 to 2013, despite earning income during that period and owing a total of $195,889 in taxes, say the feds.

Bertoli falsely claimed he worked as a construction worker, while "concealing the existence of Urban Logistics and the income that he earned."

Even while the IRS continued to monitor him for the next several several years, Bertoli continued to hide the existence of Urban Logistics and the substantial income he was earning from the company.

A spokesman for Jersey City Mayor Fulop said this week Bertoli's guilty plea had nothing to do with politics or government.

“After a six-year ordeal that included countless false accusations and unfair assumptions about Tom, today proved that this matter had absolutely nothing to do with politics or government all along,” said Fulop campaign spokesman Phil Swibinski. “Tom has taken accountability for his actions and regrets what he did, and the positive here is that he can now start to move forward with a clean slate.”