Mayor: No Indication Official's Alleged Gambling Activities Happened at Work

Officials in Toms River said that they so far have no indication that any of the gambling crimes allegedly committed by the township's deputy Department of Public Works director happened while on the job. 

Mayor Thomas Kelaher said that the township has not been in communication with law enforcement about the charges issued to Anthony Benyola, 43, who has served Toms River as its deputy public works director for the past five years.

Benyola was among 13 who pleaded not guilty Tuesday for their roles in a $1 million-a-week gambling ring that operated out of Monmouth County and used the Internet to track wagers. 

Kelaher said following Tuesday night's Township Council meeting that—as far as he knows currently—it does not appear that any alleged gambling activity occurred while Benyola on the job.

The mayor learned of the news from the media and had not been in contact with investigators regarding Benyola, he said. 

Members of the Township Council did not publicly address the arrest and charges at their Tuesday evening regular meeting. 

On Tuesday, investigators said they seized more than $500,000 in cash and a dozen vehicles after executing warrants in Monmouth, Somerset, Essex, and Hudson counties and in New York City over the past week.

Benyola was arrested at his Toms River home Monday and charged with second degree racketeering conspiracy, third degree promoting gambling, third degree possession of gambling records, first degree financial facilitation of criminal activity, and second degree conspiracy to commit the foregoing offenses, according to officials.

A 2009 BMW 750 series and 2011 Lexus LX5 were seized from Benyola’s Toms River home, according to authorities.

Benyola has been suspended with pay from his Toms River Department of Public Works job, which is in accordance with his union contract, according to township Business Administrator Paul Shives.  

Should Benyola be found guilty of the charges, it remains unclear whether Toms River would be reimbursed the money paid to the deputy director while he is on suspension, according to township attorney Kenneth Fitzsimmons. 

"There is no one-size-fits-all answer," he said to a resident who asked the council what happens in such situations.

Benyola remains jailed in Monmouth County on $200,000 bail with no 10 percent option, according to a Monmouth jail inmate database. He requires a bail source hearing, the prosecutor’s office said. Authorities charged 22 individuals what they said is an extensive gambling and racketeering operation. 

Kelaher said that Benyola would go out of his way to help residents issues while fulfilling his public works duties in Toms River. 

“Anthony was a good, trusted employee, but we haven’t received word on the official charges yet, so it’s difficult to discuss this matter yet,” Kelaher said Tuesday morning.