The day before the scheduled start of his trial, the second in command at the former Birdsall Services engineering firm admits involvement in the million-dollar political bribery web unraveled by New Jersey investigators.

Thomas Rospos (NJ Attorney General's Office)
Thomas Rospos (NJ Attorney General's Office)
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Thomas Rospos, 64, of Belmar, the company's former Executive Vice President and it second-largest shareholder, pleaded guilty to a third-degree records tampering charge today, according to the office of acting New Jersey Attorney General John J. Hoffman. Sentencing is scheduled for May 13.

His plea agreement includes a recommendation by prosecutors for three years in state prison and a stipulation that Rospos waive the presumption against incarceration for a third-degree charge by a defendant with no felony record.

Rospos is also required to pay the state $150,000, representing the forfeiture of political donations he contributed on behalf of Birdsall Services Group (BSG), for which he was reimbursed. He also faces a 10-year ban on public contract bidding, and on holding more than five-percnet interest in any firm that bids for them.

The confession arrived a week to the day that BSG's founder and CEO, Howard Birdsall, pleaded guilty to misconduct. He faces up to four years in prison at his April 22 sentencing.

Other guilty pleas were entered by former Chief Administrative Officer Scott MacFadden of Brick Township, and marketing employees Philip Angarone of Hamilton in Mercer County and Eileen Kufahl of Bradley Beach.All three await sentencing.

BSG as an entity pleaded guilty to first-degree money laundering and second-degree false representations for government contracts in June 2013. Indictments against the company, Rospos, Howard Birdsall, and five other executives were revealed the previous March.

Investigators alleged that the defendants circumvented New Jersey's Pay-to-Play Act for six years, donating to political and election campaigns under the guise of personal contributions.

Personal checks below the $300 reporting line were amassed and sent, and the company reimbursed the employees through bonuses, none of which was reported to the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC), investigators said.

The Attorney General's Office has issued neither confirmations nor speculation regarding which political funds received the money.

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