Political Consultant Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for Role in Murder for Hire Scheme

NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey-based political consultant was sentenced today to 288 months in prison for hiring two men to kill a longtime associate who had worked for him on various political campaigns, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.   

Sean Caddle, 45, of Hamburg, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit murder for hire. Judge Vazquez imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

“Sean Caddle unleashed two violent hitmen to stab Michael Galdieri to death and set fire to his apartment,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said. “Despite being lifelong friends, Caddle paid to have Galdieri murdered because he thought that his own business interests were at risk. Today’s sentence is a just punishment for a heinous crime and provides some measure of justice for the victim and his family. I want to credit the dedicated agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the members of my Office who doggedly pursued this cold case murder investigation for years and have now brought to justice all three individuals responsible for the death of Michael Galdieri.”

“Regardless of any dispute or argument a person has with someone, hiring hitmen to solve it is not only cold-hearted and despicable, but also against the law,” FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “Caddle now faces justice for paying to having his former colleague and friend murdered. He will spend years in federal prison contemplating his actions, a small price to pay when another man lost his life.”

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

In April of 2014, Caddle solicited George Bratsenis of Monroe, Connecticut, to commit a murder on Caddle’s behalf in exchange for thousands of dollars. Bratsenis recruited Bomani Africa a longtime accomplice from Philadelphia, to join the plot. After Bratsenis confirmed his and Africa’s interest in the job, Caddle told Bratsenis that the target was a longtime associate who had worked for Caddle on various political campaigns.

On May 22, 2014, Bratsenis and Africa traveled from out of state to the victim’s apartment in Jersey City. After entering the apartment, Bratsenis and Africa stabbed the victim to death and then set fire to the victim’s apartment. After Caddle learned that the victim had been murdered, he met Bratsenis in the parking lot of a diner in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Caddle paid Bratsenis thousands of dollars in exchange for the murder, and Bratsenis shared a portion of those proceeds with Africa.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Vazquez sentenced Caddle to five years of supervised release.

Bratsenis was sentenced on March 29, 2023, to 16 years in prison; Africa was sentenced on Feb. 23, 2023, to 20 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Dennehy, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office and IRS-Criminal Investigation for their assistance.

The government is represented by Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee M. Cortes Jr., Sean Farrell, Chief, New York Office, Department of Justice, Antitrust Division.