The local Hillside Democratic Committee chairman and a former candidate for the Union County Democratic Party chairmanship today absorbed federal charges of allegedly filing a false tax return for tax year 2013, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Anthony Salters, 57, of Hillside, is charged by complaint with subscribing to a false tax return. A summons was issued for Salters to appear in Newark federal court at a time to be scheduled by U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Salters was a principal of Media Allies LLC, a company that purportedly provided public relations services. On Feb. 12, 2014, Salters signed, filed, and caused to be filed with the IRS a U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, Form 1040, for tax year 2013, which contained a written declaration that it was filed under penalty of perjury and which falsely stated that Salters’ business income was zero and his total income was zero.

Salters and Media Allies had substantial gross receipts in calendar year 2013. Checks totaling $104,411 made payable to Media Allies were deposited into a Media Allies bank account for which Salters was the sole authorized signer. Payors of those checks included the City of Orange Township, the Paterson Municipal Utilities Authority, the Newark Housing Authority, a political campaign committee, and a company associated with a camp where a program was to be conducted for high school football teams affiliated with Newark public schools.

The charge of subscribing to a false tax return carries a maximum potential penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John R. Tafur; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christina Scaringi, with the investigation leading to today’s charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cari Fais and J Fortier Imbert of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division.

The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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Defense counsel: Mal’ee L. Wing Esq., East Orange, New Jersey

• Salters.Complaint.pdf