Seven people have been indicted in a drug ring that allegedly led to the killing of local radio host April Kauffman.
“Tuesday, an Atlantic County grand jury took a critical step towards rendering justice to April Kauffman and her family,” Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon Tyner said. “Ferdinand Augello was indicted for the murder of April Kauffman, racketeering and drug charges. This office looks forward to presenting the facts of this case to a jury for them to determine culpability for this heinous scheme.”
Augello, known as Freddy, is the only defendant charged in connection with Kauffman's killing. He also was indicted for attempted murder, for allegedly planning to kill James Kauffman while the Egg Harbor Township endocrinologist was in the Atlantic County Justice Facility after pulling a gun when investigators came with a search warrant to his Ocean Heights Avenue office.
James Kauffman and Augello — the alleged president of the Cape May County Chapter of the Pagans Motorcycle Club — allegedly led an Oxycontin ring.
But after April Kauffman threatened to expose the illegal enterprise as she pushed for a divorce from her husband of a decade, the men allegedly turned to murder.
It took about a year to get someone for the job, according to the charges.
Then, on May 10, 2012, Frank Mulholland was driven to the Linwood home the Kauffmans shared, went into the home through the front door that had been left unlocked for him and shot the veterans advocate twice inside her bedroom, according to the charges.
Mulholland would later die of a heroin overdose.
James Kauffman allegedly gave Augello's ex-wife Beverly Augello an envelope with payment for the killilng.
The woman knew what was in the envelope and what the money was for, Chief Assistant Prosecutor Seth Levy previously said in court.
But she is not charged in the killing.
Instead, she and the five other defendants are charged with first-degree racketeering and drug distribution charges.
Freddy Augello is the only defendant who remains jailed.
Those indicted are Beverly Augello, 47, of Summerland Keys, Florida; Joseph Mulholland, 52, of the Villas; Glenn Seeler, 37, of Sanford, N.C.; Paul Pagano, 61, of Egg Harbor Township; Tabitha Chapman, 35, of Absecon, and Cheryl Pizza, 36, Murrells Inlet, S.C.
The next step would be for each defendant to be arraigned. Motions by some defense attorneys are also expected to come.
