NEW JERSEY – A state grand jury has returned a 21-count superseding indictment against seven people and three corporations who were allegedly involved in a longstanding family-operated prostitution ring at Club XXXV in Sayreville, New Jersey.
Officials found that the strip club, located along Route 35, had doubled as a house of prostitution and generated millions of dollars in revenue for the defendants. The proceeds moved through numerous bank accounts controlled by the defendants, which were used to conceal the source of the funds.
“Our investigation determined that the operators of Club XXXV were using various illegal means to turn their club into a multimillion-dollar racket,” Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said. “We allege that these defendants enriched themselves unlawfully, masked the illicit sources of their income, and generated a host of quality-of-life issues for the residents of their community.”
“Law enforcement will not look the other way when a business crosses one line after another, in pursuit of obscene and ill-gotten profits,” Thomas Eicher, Executive Director of OPIA said.
On November 13, the grand jury voted to file criminal charges against Anthony Acciardi Sr., Doreen Acciardi and Stephen Acciardi, all from Freehold Township, as well as Anthony Acciardi Jr., of Old Bridge, all of whom owned and/or managed Club XXXV.
Other alleged co-conspirators also charged in connection with the suspected criminal enterprise included club employee Jennifer Hecker, a dancer who allegedly solicited undercover detectives for commercial sex acts; Jeannine Nichols, a club manager who is the sister of Doreen Acciardi; and Jason Portes, Nichols’ husband, who was also a Club XXXV manager.
The three corporate entities charged are Acciboys, LLC, an entity owned by Anthony Acciardi Jr. and Stephen Acciardi that owned ATMs; 35 Club, LLC, d/b/a Club XXXV; and Alana, Inc.
According to authorities, certain defendants largely failed to report the proceeds of the unlawful prostitution operation as taxable income, and allegedly established corporate entities to camouflage the true sources of the money.
In addition, the alleged co-conspirators took steps to make the funds appear as if they had been derived from lawful business dealings.
It is alleged the club also illegally sold alcohol on premises, despite state regulations prohibiting that practice. The business is BYOB, but allegedly sold various types of liquor that were hidden in a rear shed on the property.
Some of the defendants were arrested on May 12, 2021, after police search the business following numerous complaints of prostitution occurring there between 2019 and 2021. Evidence seized from the search of the club included hundreds of condoms, lubricant and sex toys.
Computer hard drives discovered inside the strip club were also seized and contained hundreds of hours of video surveillance footage from security cameras including footage from a camera in the VIP section of the club. That footage showed various dancers performing sexual acts on patrons in the VIP rooms, officials said.
After searching the club, officials found a large bag containing approximately 700 condoms. Condoms were also stocked in a vending machine in the club’s locker room for dancers to purchase.
Bank records indicate that since 2015, the defendants maintained both personal and business accounts associated with their several businesses, including Club 35, LLC, and Acciboys, LLC. Since 2017, more than $10 million had been deposited and withdrawn from these accounts.
As alleged, certain defendants significantly under-reported their income on state tax returns in an effort to evade taxes and to hide the proceeds of their criminal activity.
After executing search warrants, police recovered about $140,000 in cash, $283,000 in gold, and $297,000 in silver from the home of Doreen Acciardi and Anthony Acciardi Sr. There was also $117,000 in cash, $61,000 in silver, and $47,000 in gold found in the residence of Anthony Acciardi Jr.
The defendants are charged with the following offenses:
Anthony Acciardi Sr., 59, of Freehold Township
• Racketeering – 1st Degree
• Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity – 1st Degree (3 counts)
• Promoting Organized Street Crime – 2nd Degree
• Promoting Prostitution – 3rd Degree
• Misconduct by a Corporate Official – 2nd Degree
• Filing Fraudulent Tax Return – 3rd Degree
• Failure to Pay Income Taxes – 3rd Degree
• Failure to File Tax Returns – 3rd Degree
• Maintaining a Nuisance – 4th Degree
• Maintaining a Sexually Oriented Business – 4th Degree
• Falsifying Records – 4th Degree
Doreen Livingston, aka Doreen Acciardi, 56, of Freehold Township
• Racketeering – 1st Degree
• Conspiracy – 2nd Degree
• Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity – 1st Degree (3 counts)
• Promoting Organized Street Crime – 2nd Degree
• Promoting Prostitution – 3rd Degree
• Maintaining a Sexually Oriented Business – 4th Degree
• Misconduct by a Corporate Official – 2nd Degree
• Filing Fraudulent Tax Return – 3rd Degree
• Failure to Pay Income Taxes – 3rd Degree
• Failure to File Tax Returns – 3rd Degree
• Failure to Pay Business Income Taxes – 3rd Degree
• Maintaining a Nuisance – 4th Degree
• Falsifying Records – 4th Degree
• Filing Fraudulent Business Tax Return – 3rd Degree
Anthony Acciardi Jr., 30, of Old Bridge
• Racketeering – 1st Degree
• Conspiracy – 2nd Degree
• Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity – 1st Degree (3 counts)
• Promoting Organized Street Crime – 2nd Degree
• Promoting Prostitution – 3rd Degree
• Maintaining a Nuisance – 4th Degree
• Maintaining a Sexually Oriented Business – 4th Degree
• Misconduct by a Corporate Official – 2nd Degree
Stephen Acciardi, 26, of Freehold
• Racketeering – 1st Degree
• Conspiracy – 2nd Degree
• Maintaining a Sexually Oriented Business – 4th Degree
• Promoting Organized Street Crime – 2nd Degree
• Maintaining a Nuisance – 4th Degree
• Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity – 1st Degree (3 counts)
• Filing Fraudulent Tax Return – 3rd Degree
• Failure to Pay Income Taxes – 3rd Degree
• Failure to File Tax Returns – 3rd Degree
• Failure to Pay Business Income Taxes – 3rd Degree
• Promoting Prostitution – 3rd Degree
• Misconduct by a Corporate Official – 2nd Degree
• Misconduct by a Corporate Official – 2nd Degree
• Falsifying Records – 4th Degree
• Filing Fraudulent Business Tax Return – 3rd Degree
Jason Portes, 41, of South Amboy
• Racketeering – 1st Degree
• Conspiracy – 2nd Degree
• Promoting Prostitution – 3rd Degree
Jeanine Nichols, 59, of South Amboy
• Racketeering – 1st Degree
• Conspiracy – 2nd Degree
• Promoting Prostitution – 3rd Degree
Jennifer Hecker, 45, of Parlin
• Conspiracy – 2nd Degree
• Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity – 2nd Degree
• Theft by Deception – 3rd Degree
• Filing Fraudulent Tax Return – 3rd Degree
• Failure to Pay Income Taxes – 3rd Degree
Acciboys, LLC
• Conspiracy – 2nd Degree
• Racketeering – 1st Degree
• Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity – 1st Degree (3 counts)
• Promoting Prostitution – 3rd Degree
35 Club, LLC, d/b/a Club XXXV
• Conspiracy – 2nd Degree
• Racketeering – 1st Degree
• Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity – 1st Degree (3 counts)
• Promoting Prostitution – 3rd Degree
• Filing Fraudulent Business Tax Return – 3rd Degree
Alana, Inc.
• Conspiracy – 2nd Degree
• Racketeering – 1st Degree
• Promoting Prostitution – 3rd Degree
First-degree charges generally carry a sentence of 10 to 20 years in New Jersey state prison and a fine of up to $200,000. Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000. Third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000. Fourth-degree offenses could lead to up to 18 months in state prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
These charges are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
