ɪnðɪ ˈɜːli nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi z, mˈæθjuːz ɐpɹˈoʊtʃt ɐtlˈæntɪk sˈɪɾi ɹˈɛzᵻdənt fˈɪlɪp liənˈɛɾi, nˈɛfjuː ʌv ɪtˈæliən ɐmˈɛɹɪkən mˈæfiə kɹˈaɪm bˈɔs nˌɪkədˈiːmoʊ skˈɑːɹfoʊ ænd ɐ luːtˈɛnənt ɪnðə skˈɑːɹfoʊ ˈɔːɹɡənˌaɪzd kɹˈaɪm ˌɔːɹɡɐnᵻzˈeɪʃən, fɔːɹ ɐsˈɪstəns wɪð kæmpˈeɪn fˈʌndɪŋ.
In the early 1980s, Matthews approached Atlantic City resident Phillip Leonetti, nephew of Italian American mafia crime boss Nicodemo Scarfo and a lieutenant in the Scarfo organized crime organization, for assistance with campaign funding.