ATLANTIC
DAILY SENTINEL Atlantic County New Jersey |
Part 8 of a multi-part series documenting the FBI corruption probe in Atlantic City by the Atlantic Daily Sentinel. The stories includes four years of coverage that was gathered and held for publication while the FBI completed their work in Atlantic City, Camden, Philadelphia and Texas.
Carlos Matos
Bagman from the Barrio
Photo Michael T. Regan
Carlos Matos (Far Left) in Philadelphia
By VIRGINIA McCABE
Published May 3, 2007
The name Carlos Matos is not widely known in Atlantic City outside of the Latino community. He is a friend of former Atlantic City Councilman Ramon “Tito” Rosario and Craig Callaway. Matos tried to gain a foothold in Atlantic City through a business he planned to open.
On Wednesday, he missed his court date for a hearing in the federal court in Camden for his alleged part in “Operation Steal Pier,” because he is serving 60 days in jail for driving while suspended.
It was Fox News Undercover Reporter Jeff Cole who door stepped Matos and caught him driving a city vehicle while suspended. Cole was called to testify in court in April.
Official sources said Atlantic City councilmen voted to allow Matos to open a business in the city where there were problems with zoning. Bribes are alleged to be involved between Matos, Callaway and Rosario.
Matos has a controversial and checked past that includes voting irregularities, fights with other ward leaders, alleged death threats made to political rivals, drunk driving, spotty boat driving and old legal cases alleging bribery, which were later dropped.
“He’s a friend of mine,” said Craig Callaway in a 2006 interview. “He’s an alright guy. He’s closer to Rosario than me.”
Matos did not return repeated calls for a comment.
In the majority Latino 19th ward in Philadelphia Matos carved out a powerful, albeit controversial, position as a raucous political boss. His mother-in-law is the enormously powerful 62nd Ward leader Marge Tartaglione. He is the brother-in-law of Pennsylvania Senator Christine Tartaglione.
His license was suspended after a 2002 DWI arrest in New Jersey. He was involved in a boating accident in Atlantic City with Senator Tartaglione. Matos reportedly crossed the wake of another boat throwing Tartaglione to the deck. She suffered spinal injuries and underwent two surgeries, one in Atlantic City and one at Temple University Hospital.
Matos was caught on film for his antics in an election were poll watchers were barred from entering a ward. Matos told a news crew that no Republican poll watchers were needed at the poll because his ward was a 100 percent Democratic district. VIDEO ONE VIDEO TWO