James Kauffman, Freddy Augello and three others have first court appearance
Lots of people knew Freddy Augello made music and guitars.
Ferdinand Augello is a guitarist who plays in a band and owns Freddymade, which specializes in custom vintage style guitar.
But there was another side to him, according to charges that claim he found the hitman who killed radio host and veterans advocate April Kauffman.
As president of the Cape May County Pagans motorcycle club, Augello allegedly led a drug empire with Dr. James Kauffman in a relationship that began in 2011 and benefited both the Egg Harbor Township endocrinologist and the Pagans.
They and seven others are charged with racketeering in the drug-distribution ring.
The partnership between the long-haired rocker and the buttoned-up doctor was so profitable that Kauffman had his wife killed to keep her from spilling his secrets, according to the charges now against the men and seven others charged with racketeering.
His former wife, Beverly Augello, allegedly picked up the money and drugs used to pay for the killing of April Kauffman. Beverly Augello is in custody of the Monroe County Sheriff's Office in Florida, where she is being held on a fugitive warrant. The intake listing shows her profession as artist.
Photos on the website for her photography business include pictures of Ocean City's Music Pier and Margate's Lucy the Elephant.
A bandmate of Freddy Augello, who asked that neither the band nor his name be mentioned, said he’s now scared of the ramifications in being involved with the Pagans.
“I can’t even believe it,” he said. “I’m mortified. It’s crazy.”
Freddy Augello is also accused of trying to have James Kauffman killed, after the doctor was arrested. He was allegedly worried Kauffman would implicate him.
But, according to investigative documents, it was a recorded Augello who told on himself. A confidential informant recorded talk of the killing, and plans to get to the doctor at the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
Kauffman, Augello, Paul Pagano, Joseph Mulholland and Tabitha Chapman will have their first appearances before Superior Court Judge Bernard DeLury on Thursday via video from the Atlantic County Justice. (UPDATE:
James Kauffman, three co-defendants have first court appearance)
Detention hearings will then be scheduled in an effort by Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon Tyner to keep the defendants in jail pending trial.
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In addition to Beverly Augello, two other co-defendants remain out of state.
Glenn Seeler is being held in Lee County, North Carolina, on a fugitive warrant, records there show.
His one-time girlfriend, Cheryl Lynn Pizza, who is also charged, is on probation in North Carolina, after a shooting incident involving Seeler. In 2015, she allegedly shot him in what she told people was an accident.
Pizza said Seeler had taken her phone and locked himself in the bedroom and she was trying to shoot the door knob off to get in when a bullet went through the door and struck Seeler in the stomach,
according to an ABC 11 report at the time.
She is still on probation for that, for which she received a 36-month suspended sentence, court records show.
It was not immediately clear where Pizza is, but she is now listed living in South Carolina.
Beverly Augello has a website that showcases her photography.
Beverly Augello has a website that showcases her photography.
