George Gilmore, a former chairman of the Ocean County (NJ) Republican Party who was widely regarded one of the state’s most powerful politicians, was sentenced to a year in prison on charges that included failing to file payroll taxes for employees and making a false statement on a loan application.
The judge, Anne Thompson, also ordered Gilmore to receive mental health treatment for his extravagant spending.
https://www.nj.com/news/2020/01/former-gop-powerbroker-sentenced-to-prison-for-tax-crimes.html
Politico reported that Thompson took into account Gilmore’s “impaired judgment” in owing $1.5 million in taxes and spending $2.5 million on such things as a woolly mammoth tusk, numerous Coca Cola machines, Lionel trains, and a statue of George Washington.
The Asbury (NJ) Park Press reported that the GOP political boss bought $50,000 worth of model trains, thousands of dollars in blown glass art, and a wooly mammoth task for $82,000 while he was “borrowing hundreds of thousands of dollars from friends and business associates,” according to court testimony.
If Gilmore had used a Groupon, he could’ve got the wooly mammoth tusk for $45 thousand.
President Trump pardoned Gilmore in January 2021 on the advice of Gilmore’s close friend Bill Stepian, Trump’s campaign manager.
