Two Members Of Drug Trafficking Organization Admit Fentanyl Analogue Distribution And Money Laundering

NEWARK, N.J. - Two Essex County men today admitted their respective roles as members of a drug trafficking organization responsible for the importation and distribution of hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl analogues, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Defendants Thomas Padovano, 50, and Bartholomew Padovano, 72, of Newark, New Jersey pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to drug trafficking conspiracy and international promotional money laundering conspiracy.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Thomas Padovano and Bartholomew Padovano admitted that from approximately January 2014 through September 2020, they and other members of the drug trafficking organization agreed to import and distribute various controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, including fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, methylone, and ketamine. Members of the conspiracy placed orders with a source in China and agreed to distribute, and did distribute, the controlled substances and analogues in New Jersey, both in bulk and in the form of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills that actually contained fentanyl analogues. The Padovano defendants additionally admitted to having engaged in financial transactions aimed at concealing the origin and true ownership of more than $500,000 in drug proceeds.

The charge of drug trafficking conspiracy to which Thomas Padovano pleaded guilty carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of drug trafficking conspiracy to which Bartholomew Padovano pleaded carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison, and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of domestic concealment money laundering conspiracy to which both Padovano defendants pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000. Sentencing for both defendants is scheduled for May 6, 2025.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations ("HSI") - Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, with the investigation leading to today's guilty plea. He also thanked HSI in Philadelphia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Newark Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Newark Police Department, and the Essex County Prosecutor's Office for their assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Hasapidis-Sferra of the Criminal Division in Newark and Trial Attorney Stephen Sola, Chief of the Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit of the Justice Department's Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section. The case is being prosecuted jointly by the United States Attorney's Office, District of New Jersey and the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) of the United States Department of Justice.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.