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Bomani Africa, 62, previously admitted accepting payment from former political operative Sean Caddle to whack former associate Michael Galdieri.
Galdieri, the 52-year-old son of former State Sen. James Galdieri (D-Jersey City), was stabbed to death in his Jersey City apartment, which was then set on fire, in May 2014.
The killing had publicly remained a cold case until January 2022, when Caddle pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Newark to setting it up. He’s scheduled to be sentenced on March 22.
Africa – whose criminal history already included convictions for robbery and drug-related crime beginning soon after he turned 18 – also took a deal from the government, pleading guilty in the same court the following week to conspiracy to commit murder.
SEE: Hit Man From Philly Admits Committing Murder-For-Hire For NJ Political Operative
U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez called the killing “depraved,” “debased” and “vile” during Africa’s sentencing hearing in Newark on Thursday, Feb. 23.
In addition to the prison term, the judge sentenced him to five years of supervised release.
Africa’s accomplice, George Bratsenis, of Bridgeport, CT, copped a plea, as well, admitting last March that he killed Galdieri with Africa.
Bratsenis and Africa had been co-defendants in a series of bank robberies in 2014, the same year that Galdieri was murdered.
They and Caddle must serve out their entire sentences because there’s no parole in the federal prison system.
Africa (original name: Baxter Keys) also was sentenced last week to 10 years in state prison in Connecticut for the bank holdups that he committed with Bratsenis, who got eight years.
Africa/Keys has already been imprisoned nearly seven years in Rhode Island for a bank robbery there. He's also written a book about his life.
The stabbing victim, Galdieri, had been a longtime associate of Caddle, who was a former aide to former State Sen. Ray Lesniak (D-Elizabeth).
It was Caddle who solicited Bratsenis to rub out Galdieri in exchange for thousands of dollars, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said.
Bratsenis then recruited Africa, whom the U.S. attorney described as “a longtime accomplice from Philadelphia,” to join him.
Once they'd expressed interest in the job, Caddle described the target as “a longtime associate who had worked for Caddle on various political campaigns,” Sellinger said.
The following month, the men stabbed Galdieri dead before torching his apartment at 158 Mallory Street in Jersey City, Sellinger said.
Firefighters found Galdieri's body after dousing the flames.
Once the deed was done, Caddle testified, he met Bratsenis in the parking lot of an Elizabeth diner. Caddle said he paid Bratsenis thousands of dollars, which Sellinger said he then shared with Africa.
Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI Newark Field Office with the investigation leading to the pleas, secured by Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee M. Cortes Jr. and Sean Farrell, chief of the New York Office of the federal Justice Department’s Antitrust Division.
Sellinger also thanked the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office for its assistance.
MURDER FOR HIRE: NJ Political Operative Admits Paying Hit Men To Kill Longtime Associate
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