According to reports, five members of the Genovese crime family were busted by the feds on racketeering charges tied to the shakedown of local unions.

The mobsters arrested included Vincent Esposito, Frank Cognetta, Frank Giovinco, Steven Arena and Vincent D’Acunto Jr. They have been accused of accepting illegal kickbacks and extortion according to court documents which also outlined the use of threats of physical violence and economic harm to keep everyone in line. The feds claim that union big-wigs paid annual tribute to the New York Mafia family or were subjected to these violent threats. They claim this mafia conspiracy has been ongoing since back in 2001 and ran through October of 2017.

According to the feds Esposito, Arena, and D’Acunto were taking annual cash payments from a labor union official in exchange for letting him keep his job. Cognetta was getting kickbacks in return for steering employee benefits plan funds from the Local 1-D of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union into specific annuity contract investments as stated in the NYDailynews report. He also got illegal payouts in exchange for appointing a specific financial advisor as an insurance broker. This bust shows the continuing efforts of Cosa Nostra to maintain their influence in local unions. The Genovese family often referred to as the “Ivy League” of organized crime has been involved in union corruption for decades despite the efforts of law enforcement.

The feds busted ten suspected New York mobsters including Bonanno crime family acting boss Joseph Cammarano Jr. on racketeering charges.

The recently unsealed federal indictment charged the alleged wiseguys with a variety of crimes that took place between 2012 to 2018 including extortion, conspiracy to commit murder, and drug dealing. Also charged along with Cammarano were John “Porky” Zanocchio and Simone Esposito identified as Bonanno family consiglieres along with suspected captains Joseph “Joe Valet” Sabella and George “Grumpy” Tropiano. According to the feds, the Bonnano mobsters met with members and associates of other New York Mafia families to resolve disputes over criminal activities.

Cammarano reportedly became the Cosa Nostra families acting boss back in 2015 in an effort to stabilize the faltering organization. He is the son of a former mafia underboss who died in prison and is a Navy veteran who once served in an elite patrol unit aboard a nuclear submarine. He took over the crime families day to day operations while official boss Michael “The Nose” Mancuso remains a guest of the government. The indictment also charged Bonanno family soldier Albert “Al Muscles” Armetta with beating an unidentified victim on Halloween in 2015 for the purpose of gaining entrance into the family. Domenick Miniero and Joseph “Joey Blue Eyes” Santapaolo were also charged and identified as made members of the Bonanno family.

Suspected Lucchese crime family soldier named Eugene “Boobsie” Castelle and Genovese crime family soldier Ernest “Butch” Montevecchi were also charged for teaming up with Bonanno family members on one or more criminal schemes.

Federico “Fritzy” Giovanelli a former captain in the Genovese crime family passed away in New York according to reports.

The 84-year-old mobster made his way through the ranks of the New York Mafia family aligning himself with Genovese family leaders including former boss Vincent Gigante. He was involved in plenty of typical mafia rackets over the years including loansharking, bookmaking, and illegal gambling but was most known for being charged with shooting death of an NYPD detective in 1986. Anthony Venditti and his partner were investigating Giovanelli and his organized crime activities when he was shot twice in the head outside of a diner in Queens. Giovanelli was able to avoid being convicted of the murder at two separate state trials.

“Federico Giovanneli”

He would eventually be convicted by a federal jury along with two other alleged Genovese family members in 1989 on racketeering charges that included the murder of Venditti. His conviction was later overturned by an appeals court and no one has ever been convicted in the detective’s murder. He would get caught up in some other Cosa Nostra linked legal issues over next few years which put him behind bars for short periods of time. It is unclear as to what rank Giovanelli held at the time of his passing and exactly how active he was over the last few years due to his health. The Genovese family has long been and continues to be one of the strongest families in the NY Mafia both in size and influence.

Earlier this month five Genovese crime family mobsters were busted by the feds in a new racketeering case.

Among those arrested was Vincent Esposito the 50-year-old son of the late Genovese family boss Vincent (Chin) Gigante. He was hit with labor racketeering charges tied to the shaking down of union officials and other using threats of violence to make them comply. According to the feds, the evidence against Esposito and his co-defendants included months of secretly recorded conversations from a cooperating witness. It seems like the mafia bust has become a real family affair according to a new GanglandNews report that has identified Vincent Fyfe as the cooperating witness. Fyfe is Gigante’s nephew and the President of Local 2D of the United Food & Commercial Workers Union a job he seemingly obtained with the help of his uncle’s influence.

“Vincent Esposito”

According to the report Fyfe not only recorded conversations with the Cosa Nostra mobsters but he also supplied key evidence the feds used to build their case against Esposito and his New York Mafia pals. The feds claim that Esposito was shaking Fyfe down for an annual payment of $10,000 in order for him to keep his $300,000 a year union job. Fyfe took over the union back in 2001 after the death of former president Vincent D’Acunto Sr. who was also linked to Gigante and the Genovese family. Prosecutors claim that Esposito used mob soldier Steven (Mad Dog) Arena and Vincent D’Acunto Jr. a mafia connected union official to collect the cash from Fyfe and to pass along threats on his behalf if Fyfe refused to pay. It is unclear exactly how long Fyfe has been cooperating with the feds but he was linked to union corruption by a key witness in a racketeering trial back in 2012.

Prosecutors want Esposito to be detained until trial because they believe he is a danger to the community. They outlined not only the secretly recorded conversations by Fyfe but other extortions they claim Esposito was involved in that included other union officials and an insurance agent. They also made note of items found during a search of his apartment which included lists of two mob crews (one of living members and one of deceased), an unregistered handgun, brass knuckles, and over $3 million dollars in cash. While prosecutors feel short of offering proof that he was a “made member” of the Genovese family they maintain he is a high ranking and influential member of the NY Mafia family who would pose a danger to the community if released on bail. They claimed that the huge amount of cash found at his residence was part of a Genovese family slush fund he controlled used for funding extortionate loans through loansharking and to pay legal fees for incarcerated mobsters.

Joey Merlino the alleged boss of the Philadelphia mafia sat in a courtroom in New York on Thursday while prosecutors attempted to use his own words against him.

During his second day of testimony, J.R. Rubeo spent most of his time guiding the jury through about two dozen audio and video tapes he secretly recorded. Prosecutors are using this key evidence in the case to document Skinny Joey’s role in a multi-million dollar healthcare scam and gambling activities. These charges stem from his alleged role as a leader in what the feds have labeled as the East Coast LCN Enterprise. They claim Merlino along with alleged Genovese crime family capos Pasquale “Patsy” Parrello and Eugene “Rooster” O’Nofrio were on control of the Cosa Nostra based organization that operated up and down the East Coast.

“J.R. Rubeo and Joseph Merlino”

One of the secret recordings captured Merlino telling O’Nofrio and Rubeo “Listen, it’s easy to kill somebody. It’s simple get in the car and shoot you in the f—ing head and you’re dead.” But the defense is expected to counter and play a statement made by Merlino following those comments in which he said “It’s better when you save a friend. I would never put nobody in harm’s way. And we’re all friends here.” The comments are from a conversation the trio was having at a sit-down in a restaurant back in February of 2014. They also talked about family and whether or not a certain mobster was protected while having drinks.

On a separate recording, O’Nofrio confronted Rubeo about a missed interest payment by his brother-in-law on a $30 grand mafia loan. O’Nofrio tells Rubeo “What do I got to do with him? Do you have to take his eyes out? … I don’t want you to get upset because he’s your brother-in-law. I don’t know what the f— he thinks he is. Who does he think he’s f—ing with? Straighten it out. I want my six ($600) Monday.” Prosecutors then introduced photos of O’Nofrio and Merlino together outside of a restaurant during a Christmas party in the Bronx in 2014. They didn’t know it at the time but it was the FBI that was hosting the event for the 20 or so reputed mobsters. The feds forked over $25 grand to fund the event and Rubeo testified that the attendees were “basically all the organized crime figures I was associated with.” Prosecutors played another recorded conversation where Merlino can be heard telling a bookmaker “you gotta give me something every month.” Merlino is heard saying “We’re Gangsters” in another of the conversations.

Rubeo also explained to the jury how he, Merlino, and others split $600 per prescription in the compound pain cream scheme they ran. He said “It was a scam. They weren’t in pain, they came cause we paid them” according to a report by investigative reporter Dave Schratwieser. In a conversation between the two Merlino can be heard saying he is dead broke and “I wanna get paid.” But Merlino’s lawyers claim that he had no idea the compound pain cream operation he was involved in was illegal. Joey’s defense attorney Edwin Jacobs is sure to attack Rubeo’s credibility during cross-examination along with addressing certain missteps by both Rubeo and the feds while he was working as an informant.

Dave was able to catch up to Merlino heading into the courtroom on Thursday. When asked about Rubeo and his testimony Merlino said he couldn’t say anything but Joey still sounded upbeat when asked what he thought about the case saying “We got a good shot.” He even had a last word on the upcoming Superbowl saying “The game on Sunday. Eagles. Win outright.” The Joey Merlino trial continues on Friday!

Much of the case against alleged Philadelphia mafia boss Joeseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino revolves around star witness JR Rubeo and secret tapes he made while working as an informant.

Rubeo a Genovese crime family associate decided to change sides and work for the feds after being arrested on drug charges. He wore a wire for approx five years and was able to secretly record conversations with Merlino and alleged Genovese family capos Eugene “Rooster” Onofrio and Pasquale “Patsy” Parrello who the feds claim were leaders of the East Coast LCN Enterprise. Rubeo took the stand last week and fingered Merlino as the boss of the Philly mafia and walked the jury through tapes played by prosecutors of the conversations he had with Merlino and Onofrio as reported here.

“John (JR) Rubeo”

Yesterday marked the start of cross-examination of Rubeo and Merlino’s defense attorney Ed Jacobs had plenty of angles in trying to discredit the witnesses testimony. Rubeo is a known drug abuser and had issues with domestic violence against his wife while he was cooperating and Jacobs addressed both issues to which Rubeo allegedly admitted to. The defense claims that during his time as a cooperating witness Rubeo was on various illegal drugs including Xanax and Oxycontin. Rubeo also reportedly admitted to resetting a cell phone in an effort to eliminate evidence and to committing several crimes while serving as a fed snitch both violations of the terms of his agreement as a cooperator which is believed to have triggered an internal investigation by the feds.

The investigation was launched after the indictment was unsealed looking into potential misdeeds by Rubeo and his federal handlers. According to reports, there were possible violations regarding the monitoring and handling of both Rubeo and the evidence he was collecting which led to two FBI agents being suspended and plea offers for other defendants as discussed here previously. It was approx a year ago when Rubeo had his bail revoked and was taken off the streets and into custody after the feds reportedly learned he had erased some of his recordings that were part of the investigation and that he had been in contact with members of the media. The defense is expected to be able to address these internal problems the feds had in an effort to tie everything together which could further damage Rubeo’s work as a witness and his testimony.

If Jacobs can successfully damage Rubeo’s credibility weakening his testimony in the eye’s of the Jury and also bring in to question as to whether or not the feds conducted this investigation properly it could swing the odds back in the favor of Joey Merlino. But there are still potential problems ahead for Joey especially if a paper trail exists that can be linked to him tied to the health care fraud part of the case. A conviction on these medical fraud charges means 10-20 years behind bars for the flamboyant mobster. The ongoing Joey Merlino trial is expected to last a few more weeks. So far this mafia case continues to be quite the roller coaster ride.

Alleged Bonanno crime family consigliere John “Porky” Zancocchio is back behind bars after violating the terms of his release.

Zancocchio was indicted last month on racketeering charges along with various other mobsters including Joseph Cammarano Jr. who the feds claim is the current acting boss of the Bonanno family. Zancocchio was out on $1 million dollars bail which included house arrest and an electronic monitoring device. He was granted permission by the court to attend a wake, funeral Mass, and burial of a family member earlier this month according to the NYDailynews report. But an FBI surveillance team caught the Cosa Nostra mobster making stops at multiple eateries at least one of which has potential links to the mafia in violation of the terms of his court order.

According to prosecutors, Zancocchio visited Bella Mama Rose a restaurant allegedly co-owned by the defendant and Frank Camuso a Gambino family capo. He also made his way to Denino’s Pizzeria and a local bakery none of which were allowed according to prosecutors. He was reportedly seen talking to various customers at the establishments although none of them were confirmed to have any links or organized crime or having criminal backgrounds. The defense lawyer for the reputed New York Mafia leader argued that prosecutors hadn’t proven his client had done anything wrong noting that all the establishments in question are within walking distance of Zancocchio’s home.

Manhattan Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein agreed with prosecutors and sent the Bonanno family leader back to the Metropolitan Correctional Center.

The post Bonanno family consigliere John Zancocchio sent back to prison appeared first on About The Mafia.

Colombo crime family soldier Sebastian Saracino didn’t just turn on his New York Mafia family but on his own family as well when he decided to flip.

When the feds busted the Sicilian-born Saracino back in 2010 for supplying false information on immigration documents they had no idea that he would help them dismantle the Colombo family. He decided to turn on his mafia pals and help the feds build cases against high ranking Colombo family mobsters including then street boss Thomas “Tommy Shots” Gioeli. In 2012 he testified against not only Gioeli but also his own brother Dino “Little Dino” Saracino also a Colombo family soldier. His explosive testimony would lead to racketeering convictions for both although they were acquitted of the 1997 murder of Ralph Dols an NYPD officer.

“Sebastian Saracino”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Gatta noted that Sebastian was and continued to be an important source of information on his former Cosa Nostra family even after his testimony. Saracino could have asked for a waiver barring him from testifying against his own flesh and blood but didn’t. His lawyer John Jordan noted that he took a big risk and paid dearly in his efforts to help prosecutors. Jordan said his client decided to cooperate because he was looking out for his wife and two daughters. Sebastion told Brooklyn Federal Judge Brian Cogan “I never wanted this life, Somehow, it seems like this life found me.” He also noted the irony of the situations saying “I’m here because of my family and I’m here because of my family.”

The NY Mafia turncoat was facing charges that could have put him behind bars for almost 70 years but instead received a sentence of time served as a reward for helping the feds according to the NY Daily News report. He will still have to forfeit a couple of properties in Brooklyn and pay $18,500 in funeral expenses for a mafia associate he testified that his brother had shot in the back of the head in the basement of their parents home. He is also on the hook for $75,000 for an insurance-related arson and may also be facing future deportation.

The post Colombo family rat Sebastian Saracino rewarded for his cooperation appeared first on About The Mafia.

Vincent Esposito, the sone of former Genovese crime family boss Vincent (Chin) Gigante was busted back in January for a long-running mafia linked shakedown of local unions.

Union corruption has been one of the more profitable rackets for the New York Mafia and one the feds have been fighting to bring to an end for decades. The 50-year-old mobster was arrested along with four other alleged members of the Genovese family in the newly unsealed racketeering case. The recent charges have brought about plenty of speculation as to Esposito’s level of involvement in the Cosa Nostra family and what rank he may hold. The feds have called referred to Esposito in court documents as a “high-ranking and influential member of the Genovese Family” that maintained a network of criminal associates but they haven’t made any specific claims beyond that as to an official rank. It is still unclear as to whether or not he is even a made man within the crime family and its unknown as to just how long he has been on the feds radar.

“Vincent Esposito”

When the feds searched Esposito’s luxurious Upper East Side townhouse they found approx $4 million dollars they claim was part of a Genovese family slush fund and two lists of made members of the mafia family. According to court documents, one of the lists consisted of made members of the crime families New Jersey faction that had died within the last 20 years. The second list consisted of certain living members of a single crew in the mob family based in New Jersey. The feds supplied a limit amount of information as to Esposito’s standing in the organized crime family when trying to convince a judge he should be detained until trial. Many speculate that anyone in possession of the types of list Esposito was caught with would almost certainly have to also be a made member of the family.

It would also seem likely that one would have to be a high ranking member like a captain or part of the La Cosa Nostra families administration to be in control of such assets and to be in possession of lists of made members both past and present. The Genovese family has often been referred to as the “Ivy League” or organized crime and have been one of the more secretive of the NY Mafia families over the years. The family has stayed fairly low key and reports on its administrative structure and who was actually leading the family since the death of Gigante back in 2005 have been sketchy at best. It was recently reported that Liborio Bellomo had taken the reigns and was officially the new boss of the family. When it comes to the mafia in New York few families have enjoyed the success the Genovese’s have over the years.

Could his family name and standing be enough for him to become a mob associate influential enough to have this kind of information and power? There is some speculation that he may be the current captain of the families New Jersey based crew because the list he was in possession of had information pertaining to that group. Perhaps he was following in his father’s footsteps and making his way up the ladder toward to top of the Genovese family hierarchy.  As the case moves forward there should be more information from the feds on Esposito’s exact status within the family.

The post What rank does Vincent Esposito have within the Genovese crime family? appeared first on About The Mafia.

The feds made Genovese crime family captain Eugene (Rooster) Onofrio an offer he couldn’t refuse in an effort to quietly help bring the troubled East Coast LCN Enterprise case to an end.

The 75-year-old mobster agreed to plead guilty to loansharking and cigarette bootlegging and is facing a maximum sentence of fewer than three years with sentencing guidelines of 27-33 months according to a GanglandNews report. This is a relatively sweet plea deal for Onofrio who backed out of an earlier plea offer from prosecutors back in November which carried with it a maximum sentence of two years more than the current one. Onofrio alleged Philadelphia mafia boss Joey Merlino was the only remaining defendants in the case and they were scheduled to go on trial together but Rooster had his trial delayed for medical reasons.

“Eugene Onofrio”

When the Merlino trial ended in a hung jury it seemed to be a signal that Onofrio may also have a chance to beat the wrap. But the case against him was potentially much stronger than the one against Merlino because it didn’t rely on the testimony of key witness and mob turncoat John (J.R.) Rubeo. The main witness against Rooster was an undercover FBI agent that posed as a friend of Rubeo’s and got close enough to serve as the New York Mafia captains driver for more than a year. The undercover agent would make for a much more reliable witness that Rubeo turned out to be. Part of the plea agreement allows the feds to keep the identity of this undercover agent under wraps in the hopes that he can be used again in future undercover work.

Just days after getting the deal done with Onofrio prosecutors indicated in a letter to the court that they were also in plea negotiations with Merlino’s attorneys. It seems like they would prefer to come to some sort of deal with the Cosa Nostra leader instead of having to push for a re-trial. There may also be some incentive for the flamboyant mobster to come to an agreement as well because sources have reported that jurors in the previous trial were deadlocked 10-2 for conviction on the health care scam charges and 9-3 for conviction on the charges of illegal gambling. They were reportedly split on the main racketeering conspiracy charge but it still seems like a very close call and a different jury could very well lead to a guilty verdict.

Onofrio has also agreed to forfeit $40,000 that was made from the cigarette bootlegging and has to pay a $95,000 fine.  He is scheduled to be sentenced in July. This case against the mafia certainly didn’t end as the feds intended but it has still been somewhat effective.

The post Genovese crime family capo Eugene Onofrio agrees to plea deal appeared first on About The Mafia.

A Brooklyn federal judge sentenced John Gotti the 24-year-old namesake grandson of the late Gambino crime family boss to five years in federal prison.

He was sentenced for his role in a 2012 road rage arson attack ordered by Bonanno crime family captain Vincent Asaro. The 82-year-old mobster sent mafia underlings including Gotti to firebomb the car of a motorist who cut him off in traffic. Asaro admitted to giving the order and was himself sentenced to eight years behind bars last December. The mafia scion has been referred to as a mob associate although its unclear as to whether or not he has any official links to any of New York’s Cosa Nostra families.

“John J. Gotti”

Gotti had already been hit with an eight-year prison term last March after he plead guilty to drug charges. He was in the process of heading to prison to start that sentence when he was hit with the arson charges. In the drug case, Gotti was caught on a secret wire just like his grandfather was years ago. He bragged about extensive drug sales that were allegedly totaling up to $100,000 a month and estimated that he had made roughly $1.6 million annually. The Brooklyn judge decided that two and a half years of his arson case sentence can be served at the same time as his previous drug sentence.

The remaining two and a half years of his five-year bid will be added on the end of his eight-year sentence. He will also have to forfeit $27,000 in restitution to pay for the car that was firebombed. He will also be subject to a curfew upon his release. The young Gotti blamed much of his troubles on his struggle with opioid addiction but said in court that he was now in a good place. He apologized to the large gathering of family that attended including his father Peter Gotti and said “I look forward to the years to come. I know when I leave here I can give back to the world.”

As the defense pleaded for leniency the prosecution made not that at the time of the arson and a robbery Gotti was a part of just weeks later he had yet to spiral into addiction. Instead, prosecutors said he had committed the crime not because of an addiction but out of allegiance to a violent member of the New York Mafia.  Just like old times the name John Gotti is part of the mafia news!

The post John Gotti’s grandson sentenced to additional prison time appeared first on About The Mafia.

The long-awaited Biopic about the life and death of infamous New York Mafia boss John Gotti is finally set to hit theaters.

The new Mafia movie offers a solid cast including John Travolta playing the role of the Gambino crime family boss along with Kelly Preston as Victoria Gotti, William DeMeo as Sammy Gravano, and Leo Rossi as mobster Bobby Boriello. According to John (Junior) Gotti this movie will tell the true story of the flamboyant Cosa Nostra leader. The latest John Gotti movie was originally set to debut back in December of 2017 but various disagreements including methods of release derailed those plans. Producers of the film wanted more than just a limited theater release along with being available on Video On Demand.

Producers re-acquired the film rights in search of a new distributor and a nationwide release. According to director Kevin Connolly, they have found just that and the new John Gotti movie is set to be in a theater near you on June 15th. We will finally get to see Travolta play the part of the Dapper Don. The movie is certain to draw its share of attention from fans of Mafia movies and those still intrigued by the Gotti name and story.

It will be interesting to see how it stacks up to prior movies about John Gotti including what many consider to be one of the best the 1996 Gotti movie starring Armand Assante. When it comes to movies about the mafia there is always going to be an audience and hopefully, this one doesn’t disappoint. So be sure to check out the new John Gotti movie!  Perhaps this turns out to be one of the better 2018 Mafia movies.

The post Gotti biopic starring John Travolta finally has a release date appeared first on About The Mafia.

Ronald Giallanzo an alleged acting captain in the Bonanno crime family along with two soldiers have agreed to plead guilty to racketeering conspiracy charges.

According to court documents Giallanzo, Michael Palmaccio, and Nicholas Festa all admitted to being part of a Bonanno family crew that operated out of Howard Beach, Queens. According to the feds, Palmaccio and Festa were part of a very lucrative loansharking operation worth millions that were controlled by Giallanzo. All three mobsters were arrested back in March of 2017  along with several other co-defendants who have also plead guilty. Giallanzo, Palmaccio, and Festa will be facing a statutory maximum of 20 years behind bars when sentenced.

(Ronald Giallanzo)

Along with admitting to being part of the Cosa Nostra family all three defendants also admitted to extending and collecting extortionate loans to multiple victims. According to the indictment Giallanzo directed his mafia associated to commit acts of violence to ensure that customers paid their debts. The feds claim he even maintained control of his operation from behind bars on a prior racketeering and extortion conviction. At one point he had extended over $3 million dollars in extortionate loans to various customers according to court documents.

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge said, “Mobsters are known for lending large amounts of money at exorbitant rates to individuals who they know lack the financial means of paying off their loans, they intentionally extort their victims over extended periods of time using threats of violence as a means of collecting their weekly payment.” United States Attorney Richard P. Donoghue said: “Through their acts of violence, Giallanzo, Palmaccio, and Festa reaped substantial illicit profits at the expense of their loansharking victims, with today’s guilty pleas, these defendants are being held responsible for their destructive role in perpetuating organized crime’s presence in the community.”

(Giallanzo Howard Beach Mansion)

Giallanzo also agreed to forfeit $1.25 million dollars and will be required to sell his luxurious Howard Beach mansion. The house was a target for the feds from the start claiming he had constructed it using profits from his organized crime operations. In the government’s eyes, it seemed to be a symbol of Ronnie G’s success in the New York Mafia. They have now successfully made it a symbol of how downfall. Palmaccio and Festa have also both agreed to forfeit $500,000 each. The majority of the Bonanno family crew will be serving quite a few years as guests of the government.

The post Bonanno family Capo Ronald Giallanzo pleads guilty and forfeits luxurious mansion appeared first on About The Mafia.

A Lucchese crime family crew running an extensive illegal gambling and loan sharking operation in Bronx and Westchester County has been dismantled.

According to reports 61-year-old Dominick Capelli a made man in the Lucchese family and nine mafia associates were indicted and arrested. State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said the year-long investigation dubbed “Operation The Vig Is Up” was the largest such operation into a Cosa Nostra families activities by the state attorney general. He said, “Investigators utilized wiretaps, covert surveillance cameras, a car bug, undercover police officers and hidden cameras.” The New York Mafia crew offered gamblers a place not only to bet but to also take out loans to cover their losses.

“State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman”

All ten defendants have been hit with first-degree usury and first-degree promoting gambling charges while Capelli and two of his co-defendants face additional charges of running an illegal online gambling operation called bxbets. According to authorities, the bookmaking racket took in hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in wagers.

The NY mafia crew used the gambling operation to funnel victims into the loan sharking scheme charging them weekly loan rates that averaged out to 200% interest per year. During the year-long probe into the loan-sharking operation, authorities identified more than four dozen victims. The racket generated more than $1 million dollars in revenue for the mafia.

According to Schneiderman debtors were required to make weekly payments on their exorbitant high “vig” loans. The victims directly paid individual defendants or dropped off payments at two local businesses McKiernan’s Lawton Street Tavern and The Glass Room. The Lucchese family crew could all be facing up to 25 years behind bars or more if convicted.  Yet another indication that illegal gambling and loan-sharking are still highly lucrative rackets for the American Mafia.

The post Lucchese family loan sharking and illegal gambling operation busted appeared first on About The Mafia.

Ralph Santaniello one of the new leaders of the Springfield mafia faction controlled by the Genovese crime family was sentenced on Tuesday.

Authorities had been investigating the New York Mafia linked crew for several years and were finally able to make a case back in 2016. Santaniello and fellow mobster Giovanni “Johnny Cal” Calabrese were both in court to find out exactly how long they would be behind bars after pleading guilty in November. Santaniello was sentenced to five years in prison while Calabrese got off a little easier with a three-year bid. The mob crew was charged with various crimes including extortion.

“Ralph Santaniello”

The Springfield mob lost longtime boss Adolfo “Big Al” Bruno back in 2003 and hasn’t quite been the same since. But Bruno’s death opened up opportunities for potential up and comers and Santaniello seemingly took advantage. A federal prosecutor called Santaniello “the enforcer, the fear, the violence” of the current Springfield Cosa Nostra crew. While defense lawyers tried to play down the violent tendencies unsuccessfully as prosecutors made note of his previous convictions for similar crimes.

One of the main scheme’s Santaniello and Calabrese were charged with was the shaking down of a local business owner. The organized crime duo assaulted then threatened to behead and bury Craig J. “C.J.” Morel the owner of a towing and scrap metal business if he didn’t pay a street tax. Morel said the men terrorized him for several weeks back in 2013. He admitted to paying Bruno a street tax after starting his business back in 2000 but stopped paying shortly before Bruno was murdered. He ran his company independently and stayed away from the mafia until 2013 when the new Springfield crew came calling.

Morel said he first met Ralph back in 2000 when he came to his tow yard looking for a car that belonged to an exotic dancer. Morel said in a statement that “I was told that his father was an organized crime captain and to steer clear of him, which I did for the next 14 years.” This was in reference to Ralph’s father Amedeo Santaniello who was once Bruno’s right-hand man. Then the mobster showed back up again in 2013 Morel added saying “Ralphie came to my land with his crazy eyes, loud mouth and yelling in broken English … like we were in a TV show. But I knew this wasn’t a set of a movie.”

Prosecutors pushed for a sentence of approx six and a half years for Santaniello pointing out that he continued to commit these crimes and was unrepentant. Ralph has been held without bail since his arrest in 2016 but Calabrese was out on bail so he will be expected to turn himself in by May 21st according to reports. The remaining members of the NY mafia linked crew Francesco “Frank” Depergola and Richard Valentini are set to be sentenced on May 11th. Fellow mobster Gerald Daniele has already been sentenced to two years behind bars.  Will be interesting to see what kind of impact this has on the Genovese family influence in the area and whether or not this is the end of the Springfield mafia.

The post Ralph Santaniello leader of the Genovese families Springfield mafia crew sentenced appeared first on About The Mafia.

Vincent Asaro came away with an eight-year prison sentence from last years arson case and he isn’t happy about it.

The 83-year-old Bonanno crime family captain wants an appeals court judge to resentence him. He thinks the sentence given to him by Judge Allyne Ross was over the top for the charges he plead guilty too. Asaro ordered New York Mafia underlings to torch the car of a motorist that had cut him off. The aging mobster agreed to plead guilty last summer but claims he would have preferred to take his chances at trial if he knew his sentence was gonna be this lengthy. According to court documents, the eight-year sentence he received was about three times the federal guideline recommendations.

“Vincent Asaro”

Asaro believes the overly stiff sentence he received was payback for his 2015 acquittal in the Lufthansa heist case. Defense attorney Richard Langone said, “the appearance of vengeful retaliation (or ‘payback’) for the 2015 acquittal was palpable from the government’s arguments during the sentencing on the arson.” Prosecutors were pushing for a 15-year sentence which his lawyer called a virtual death sentence for the aging and unhealthy Asaro. The feds certainly weren’t happy losing out in a case tied to such an infamous NY Mafia score.

Judge Allyne Ross also presided over the 2015 case said during sentencing in his arson case that she had given weight to some of the crimes Asaro had previously been acquitted of in the Lufthansa case. She said that even though he was acquitted she was firmly convinced that prosecutors had proven their case against him. She also believed that he remained dangerous to the public and that she had no illusions that this prison sentence would bring an end to his lifelong career in the Mafia.

In a letter to the Second Circuit Langone said “Even though the jury, by acquitting Mr. Asaro of all charges, flatly rejected the veracity and credibility of the government’s witnesses, Judge Ross nevertheless gave full credit to them” according to the New York Daily news report. It seems the Bonanno family capo thinks to issue a sentence partially based on charges that a jury has already deemed less than verifiable seems somewhat unfair.He may just be right about that although it is now in the hands of the appeals court to decide one way or another.

Vincent has certainly seen his share of court battles over the last couple of years so one more won’t hurt. Even if it’s somewhat of a longshot that an appeals court actually rules in the Bonanno family mobsters favor.

The post Bonanno Family Capo Vincent Asaro appeals prison sentence appeared first on About The Mafia.

The Lucchese crime family had viable leadership in place and seemed to be one of the more stable of the New York Mafia families.

That changed when the feds dropped a major racketeering indictment last year targeting members of the Cosa Nostra families current administration. Lucchese family acting boss Matthew Madonna, underboss Steven (Stevie Wonder) Crea and consigliere Joseph DiNapoli were charged with various crimes. Alleged mafia captains Steven Crea Jr., Dominic Truscello, and John Castelucci were also indicted along with various mob associates. Over the last couple years, the families veteran hierarchy seemingly had them reorganized and back on the rise. Now the family seems to be facing a transition period.

“Steven Crea and Matthew Madonna”

Both Madonna and Crea are facing murder charges connected to the 2013 gangland hit on Purple Gang leader Michael Meldish. While DiNapoli seemingly escaped murder charges he is still facing an extended stay behind bars if convicted. According to reports, the feds were aided by informants from within the Lucchese family. It seems like the entire family hierarchy could be joining official boss Vittorio (Vic) Amuso behind bars. It’s unclear how much influence Amuso currently has on the streets but according to the feds, he is still the head of the organization.

The administration as a whole seems to be headed for some hard time if found guilty at trial or through fairly stiff plea deals. So the question is where does the Lucchese crime family go from here! Madonna has dealt with various legal problems over the last few years that landed him in prison so his place in the family was already in limbo. It seems likely he was already replaced in an acting capacity at a minimum. The potential loss of Crea and DiNapoli would definitely be a big blow to the families newfound momentum. They are both highly respected members and by all accounts qualified to lead.

But as we have seen in the past the American Mafia is very resilient and always finds a way to adapt and move forward. The Lucchese family still seems to have some talent in the ranks. If a new administration is needed it could include names like Anthony Santorelli, Joseph “Joey” Giampa, and Joseph Lubrano among others. Those mentioned all have extensive careers in the mafia and have made their way through the ranks becoming captains within the family. They seem poised to take another step forward to fill the leadership roles left void at least in an acting capacity if needed.

It will be interesting to see what lies ahead for the crime family and who steps up to take the reigns. Perhaps there is even a more youthful side of the family we are unaware of ready to take the Lucchese’s into a new era.

The post Lucchese Crime Family facing leadership void appeared first on About The Mafia.

Alleged Genovese crime family soldier Sal (Sallie) Demeo pleaded guilty to attempted tax evasion.

The 78 year old mobster reportedly raked in a $2 million dollar profit back in 2013-14 from property sales. According to prosecutors he sold his shares in Brooklyn properties that he inherited from his father back in 1991 but failed to report it. He along with other shareholders sold off their various lots for a combined profit of over $18 million dollars. But it seems the Cosa Nostra soldier didn’t want to share his newly found cash with Uncle Sam.

“Sal Demeo”

Proscutors claim he devised a plan to side step the IRS and keep it all to himself. He whacked up the profits into separate checks and had them deposited into accounts that weren’t his according to the NY Daily News report. Approximately $1 million dollars was put into the account of a plumbing business operated by a fellow Genovese crime family mobster according to court documents. Another chunk of the cash was funeled through an unlicensed check cashing business.

Demeo had plead guilty to illegal gambling and loansharking in Brooklyn Supreme Court just a month before being hit with these tax evasion charges. He was sentenced to five year probation but now faces up to two years behind bars per his plea deal when he is sentenced in October. His plea deal also states that he has to pay the government back $367,000 in back taxes. Even the New York Mafia can’t completely avoid giving Uncle Sam a piece of the action now and again.

The post Genovese crime family soldier Sal Demeo pleads guilty appeared first on About The Mafia.

Gambino crime family captain John “Johnny Boy” Ambrosio plead guilty to racketeering charges according to reports.

He controlled a massive illegal gambling and loan sharking operation from 2014 through 2017. According to the feds, the operation included members of two New York mafia families the Gambino’s and Bonanno’s. It included various activities including illegal sports betting, poker games, and even gaming machines. The 74-year-old mobster now faces up to 20 years behind bars which could turn out to be a life sentence.

“John Ambrosio”

Ambrosio was arrested back in 2017 along with reputed Bonanno family soldier Frank “Frankie Boy” Salerno and a couple mafia associates. The 13 count indictment charged six members and associates of the two NY Mafia families in total. Ambrosio was captured via wiretap promoting his illegal gambling operation telling someone “you can play right here and save gas money.” Officials said that during a search they found old letters from deceased Gambino family boss John Gotti addressed to Ambrosio.

It seems like the veteran Cosa Nostra mobster has had quite the career in organized crime. Although it may have finally come to an end leaving an open captains chair for the Gambino family to fill.

The post Gambino family capo John Ambrosio pleads guilty appeared first on About The Mafia.

Bonanno crime family acting boss Joseph Cammarano Jr. was among several mobsters charged earlier this year in a massive Mafia racketeering indictment.

Charges in the indictment included extortion, loansharking, wire and mail fraud, drug trafficking, and conspiracy to commit murder. Eight Bonanno family members and associates were charged in total along with two mobsters from the Lucchese and Genovese families of the New York Mafia. The feds case was put together in large part with the help of turncoat Bonanno family captain Peter Lovaglio. The Cosa Nostra wiseguys were pushing for a speedy trial so the feds had little time to try and strengthen their case behind the now shaky Lovaglio.

Lovaglio recently took the stand against Philly mobster Joey Merlino in the East Coast LCN Enterprise case. But his testimony turned out to be mediocre at best resulting in a hung jury. So the feds could have another disaster on their hands if his testimony once again leads to a jury questioning his credibility. But the efforts to work toward a speedy trial ended during a recent pre-trial conference according to a ganglandnews report. Lawyers for the defendants were asking for a July 9th trial date but scheduling problems threw a wrench into those plans.

Manhattan Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein informed the defense his calendar would not allow him to preside over a trial in July. The various defense attorney’s discussed the possibility of seeking a new judge but ultimately decided against it. Once the calenders for everyone were taken into consideration the soonest a trial could take place was February 15 of next year. Not exactly what Cammarano also known as Joe C. and his mafia pals were hoping for.

It remains unclear as to whether or not the feds can find additional witnesses or evidence against the mobsters. But now that they have more time before trial they will definitely be working every angle. The feds have certainly hit some bumps in the road when it comes to cases against the mafia of late. So there is no doubt they definitely came away with a win here getting additional time to try and sure things up and avoid another debacle.

The post Bonanno family acting boss Joseph Cammarano Jr and his mafia pals bid for a speedy trial falls short appeared first on About The Mafia.