Luzerne County Judges

December 4, 2009

Attorneys linked to Toole own local business together, records show

One of the lawyers also sold property to the county’s fired director of human resources.

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Reporter
Jennifer Learn-Andes on Facebook   |   @TLJenLearnAndes on Twitter

Two local attorneys who have been tied to suspended Luzerne County judge Michael Toole own a business partnership together, and one of the attorneys also sold property to the county’s fired human resources director, records show.

Toole was removed from judicial duties in county court Wednesday after federal authorities announced that he had agreed to plead guilty to two federal charges as part of the county corruption probe.

The charges allege that Toole improperly influenced a case, and details in the charges indicate it involves an uninsured motorist case filed by attorney Harry Cardoni of Cardoni and Associates in Kingston against Erie Insurance Exchange.

Toole’s relationship with attorney John D. Nardone has also been questioned in another case that was not part of the charges.

Records show Cardoni and Nardone are the owners of Carnar Realty Co., which was formed in 1995.

Carnar owns the three-story office building at 340 W. Market St. in Kingston that houses the Cardoni & Associates law firm.

The county has assessed that building at $2.02 million.

Nardone’s own law office is also located in the same building.

Three other Kingston properties are also owned by Carnar, according to county records: a parking lot assessed at $60,900; a one-level duplex assessed at $166,600; and a double-block valued at $133,100.

Records show Cardoni also sold a property on Reliance Drive in Wilkes-Barre to Doug and Sandra Namey Richards. Doug Richards was terminated at county human resources director Nov. 18 for failing to answer the administration’s questions about Continental Consultants Group, a company under investigation by federal agents.

A source said federal investigators are looking into whether Richards has a connection to Continental, which was paid to oversee the employment of flood cleanup workers and county retiree consultants.

Richards, who could not be reached for comment, has not been charged or accused of any wrongdoing. The Reliance Drive property was originally assessed at $368,000, but the Richardses got it reduced to $313,100 at an informal review in October 2008.

The deed indicates that Cardoni and his wife, Sharon, sold the property to the Richardses for $1, in June 2005, but the deed document itself says the “true consideration for this transaction” was $300,000. The Richardses paid realty transfer tax on the $300,000.

It’s unclear why the $1 amount was listed because transactions for that amount are usually reserved for property that switches hands among family members.

Cardoni did not return messages about the Richardses’ transaction last week, and he was not available for comment Thursday.

Nardone could not be reached for comment.

Toole also lives on Reliance Drive, with two other properties between his and the Richardses’, mapping records show.

Toole has agreed to plead guilty to honest services fraud for improperly influencing a court case and to tax evasion for an unrelated matter.

Jennifer Learn-Andes, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 831-7333.

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