Multiple defendants, including the owner of a Sayreville strip club, have pleaded guilty in a case involving illegal operations at the club.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, in conjunction with the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), announced the guilty pleas today following a hearing before New Jersey Superior Court Judge Joseph Paone in the Middlesex County Courthouse.
As part of a global resolution, Doreen Acciardi, owner of XXXV Club on Route 35, and her husband, Anthony Acciardi Sr., of Freehold Township, each pleaded guilty to charges related to maintaining a house of prostitution and tax evasion. Both defendants admitted to operating the club as a front for illegal prostitution activities and failing to report taxable income from the operation.
Under the terms of the resolution, the Acciardis agreed to pay an outstanding sum of approximately $705,000 to the New Jersey Treasury Department’s Division of Taxation. This amount includes taxes owed and penalties, with approximately $420,000 in cash seized during the investigation being applied toward the tax settlement.
Additionally, the entity operating the club, 35 Club, LLC (which does business as XXXV Club), pleaded guilty to operating a sexually oriented business without proper licensure and monitoring. As part of the resolution, the club will be subject to a five-year independent monitoring period beginning January 1, 2025. The monitoring will include both in-person inspections and continuous surveillance through closed-circuit television.
Other defendants, including Anthony Acciardi Jr. and Stephen Acciardi (both of Freehold Township), who were linked to the operation through their involvement with Acciboys, LLC (an entity that owned ATMs within the club), also entered guilty pleas to maintaining a nuisance. As a result, they will participate in a pretrial intervention program, subject to mandatory fines and penalties. Stephen Acciardi has also agreed to pay taxes owed to the Division of Taxation.
Jeanine Nichols and Jason Portes, employees at XXXV Club, were similarly admitted to the pretrial intervention program for three years.
In a separate development, charges against Alana, Inc., a real estate holding company that owns the property where the club operates, will be dismissed as part of the resolution.
“The guilty pleas in this case send a clear message that illegal business practices and tax fraud will not go unnoticed,” said Attorney General Platkin. “We will hold accountable those who attempt to hide illicit activities behind legitimate businesses and evade their tax responsibilities.”
Drew Skinner, Executive Director of OPIA, emphasized the importance of the monitoring process, saying, “The monitoring put in place as a result of this case is intended to ensure XXXV Club complies with the law and cleans up its operation moving forward.”
As part of the sentencing recommendations, the State has proposed three years of probation supervision for Anthony Acciardi Sr. and two years for Doreen Acciardi. The couple is also expected to comply with all conditions imposed on their business operations.
The case, which revealed that dancers at the club engaged in prostitution with patrons in VIP rooms, was investigated by the OPIA Corruption Bureau, with the assistance of local law enforcement.
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