CLARK, NJ – New charges have been filed against Salvatore Bonaccorso, Mayor of Clark Township, by Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA). Bonaccorso, 63, faces allegations of fraudulent activities related to his landscaping business and misuse of township resources.
Investigations by the OPIA Corruption Bureau revealed that Bonaccorso, while serving as mayor, ran his tank-removal business using township property and employees. He is accused of storing business records in the mayor’s office, utilizing municipal devices, and assigning township employees tasks for his private business.
Bonaccorso and his company, Bonaccorso & Son LLC, are also alleged to have engaged in fraudulent practices, including the use of a licensed engineer’s name and forged signatures on permit applications for underground storage tank removals. The company lacked the necessary license for such work.
The review of permit applications showed misrepresentation to municipalities, indicating the engineer supervised on-site tank removals as required by New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) regulations. New Jersey law mandates that only certified individuals or those under direct supervision of a certified person can conduct work on unregulated heating-oil tank systems.
Allegations include arranging for the engineer to obtain a license and insurance, which Bonaccorso paid for. The fraudulent permits submitted between 2017 and 2023 are estimated to be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Additionally, Bonaccorso faces charges of witness tampering for advising a witness to provide false information to state investigators.
Attorney General Platkin condemned the alleged abuse of power, misuse of public resources, and circumvention of NJDEP regulations. Thomas J. Eicher, Executive Director of OPIA, emphasized the damage to public trust caused by such corrupt practices.
The charges against Bonaccorso include official misconduct, tampering with public records, witness tampering, forgery, and falsifying records. These charges carry potential sentences ranging from 18 months to 10 years in state prison and fines up to $150,000. Deputy Attorney General Lisa A. Queen is prosecuting the case.